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A Love Letter - Encouragement Café - August 2

A Love Letter
 By Dawn Neely

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us; written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of the human heart. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NASB

Writing a devotional is a very personal endeavor. It represents time, energy, insight into the one who writes, vulnerability, confession and beliefs. To write is to allow others to peer into one’s soul and to discover comradery or division.

It is also an honor to have the freedom to express one’s opinion, whether applauded or dismissed.  One writes, for the most part, from his or her experiences.

But writing also brings sheer joy for in telling one’s story, there is a re-living of the experience and the hope that those experiences might inspire or encourage others.

In the Scripture today, Paul is sending letters of commendation for his disciples and believers in Christ to tell their stories in other regions of the known world. There is nothing wrong with a letter of commendation written on paper.

But how much better to have a living letter!

Their narratives are not of dragons and castles, or fictionalized maidens in distress. Their accounts are of Christ, the Son of the living God, who came to save a lost and dying world. The only logical way that these accounts could be told was if they were personal.

One cannot give away what one does not have. These stories of Jesus are believable because these men and women had Christ in their hearts.

Their evolution from “Hearts of stone,” to “Hearts of flesh” came about due to discipleship, love, caring and concerned individuals and the change that is only produced by the Spirit of God.

We, who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, also have a love letter to share. But just as Paul further explained in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Our sufficiency is from God.” We cannot make a good impression on anyone’s heart on our own.

Such are our weaknesses and inabilities that we cannot ourselves think a good thought, much less raise any good thoughts or affection in other men. All our sufficiency is of God; to Him therefore are due all the praise and glory of that good which is done, and from Him we must receive grace and strength to do more.

This is true concerning all Christians. We are never more than what the grace of God makes us. We can be a pen in God’s hand. We can tell our own love story.

Dearest Father, how is it that You allow us who are but dust to tell Your story? Oh, gracious God, how I thank You for giving me a story to tell. Help me Lord to be a faithful witness. May I never be ashamed of the gospel. May I always be willing to tell the story of Your love, forgiveness, redemption, hope and comfort. You have sent all those out who belong to You to share their hearts. May we be found faithful. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

© 2021 by Dawn Neely. All rights reserved.

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