thoughts of love... from a closet...

So time for a short post... hopefully...

Living in a hundred year old house that my land lady, Kelli, inherited from her grandmother, one is bound to find interesting treasures at every turn. But this one, I was very surprised at. I mean we have a punch bowl from Tiffany's and an old record player that still works. Old coats that look like they came right of of "The Chronicles of Narnia" and ancient chairs that have a potential of breaking on contact. But this was very exciting.
Today I wanted to spend some time alone reading my Bible and praying... so I went to the one place in the house that I know I can always be left alone. Which, I tell you, is very hard to find a place like that. That place is Kelli's closet. It's not like a normal closet. It's pretty big. A walk in with about enough room to fit two to three dressers and still have room in the middle to spread out. So there I was...
And what was I thinking of? I was thinking about how hard it is to understand God's great love. I mean if you really think about it, it's pretty crazy.
Suddenly, I got distracted... there are just as many treasures in that closet as there are in the rest of the house, but i looked to my side and found letters. And not just any letters. I found letter to Kelli's late grandmother from her husband while he was away at war. As much as I thought it would be invading privacy to read them, I figured at this point, they wouldn't mind much. I open the first one, read it, and seriously almost started crying as I read it. The passion with which He wrote this leader was remarkable. I mean you hear about love letters from war on tv and in movies, but to see a real one in my hand to some one whose house I am living in, was surreal. it was a genuine love letter from war. There were things like "I long for you." "How I miss you." "I wish I was with you to see you and the baby." then as it went on "When I get back I will buy you all the pretty things you want." "I will love you eternally and completely."
And tears were falling down my cheeks. Partly because I was super emotional today, but mostly because you could just feel what he was feeling... incredible. And then I realized... God was talking to me through this letter. I realized that if a frail human can have that kind of emotion and passion for another, how much more an infinite God with infinite love that sees me as His own, righteous creation... wow! And He sent me a love letter too... His Word. With all sorts of love notes to discover. Consider this one... "For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." I know we hear this all the time, but think about what it is really saying to you. "I love you. I long for you. So much so that I gave the ultimate sacrifice of sending my own Son to die for you. So that through Him and what he did for you, you will be saved from death. I've given you the ultimate gift. And now I can have you with me forever."
Frankly, I'm speechless at this point. what more is there to say? I guess Selah would be appropriate here. What an awesome God we serve.