Love Letter

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." -Mother Teresa

I do not know the context of this quote, the when or why Mother Teresa said it, but I am stirred by it. First is the idea of a love letter. Who wouldn't want to receive a love letter? All people have a deep desire to be loved, just as they are- with faults, and imperfections, and quirks, and for all their little details. A love letter means that someone has taken notice of you. That you have had an affect on them. That they must declare their admiration.

Next is the author of this letter- God. He is writing to us! Not has written, but IS writing. God has given us His word in the form of the Bible and made the ultimate sacrifice for us in giving His son to die for our sins, but He did not stop there. He is still writing to us. A love letter. That means He is actively pursuing us. He is continually expressing His love, His admiration, His favor, His delight, His pleasure, His enjoyment, His affection for us.

Finally, I am in awe of the fact that I get to be that little pencil in His hand. That he chooses to use me. I am a child of the King and have nothing to offer apart from Him, but He sees all the good in me and uses me in spite of myself. How grateful I am! And unworthy. I am not even good enough to be a shaving left over from sharpening the pencil, but because Jesus has saved me, God looks at me as blameless and worthy. He allows me to be part of sending His love.

So what is this love? It is an unfailing love, a steadfast love. A love that we are unable to fully comprehend, and unable to give as well. God is love. (1 John 4:16) That is His nature, His character. His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136) And nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38-39) Nothing. Not life or death, not the past, present, or future, not height or depth, not any part of creation, not circumstances, not choices, not even our rejection will change His love for us. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10 This love is hard for us to completely take in because we are incapable of loving in this way. I have the best intentions but still fall short in my ability to love. We are selfish. We can reach a point where we have nothing left to give. But God's love encompasses all the shortcomings of our love. Simply put, His love is perfect. (1 John 4:18)

In just three short months I will be going to Romania for a while to spend time volunteering in an orphanage. This has been a dream of mine for several years and I am so excited to finally see it happening. i heard a long time ago that there are places in the world where orphanages have so many babies in them that the children just lay in their cribs all the time and are never held. That you could literally go rock babies all day long. So, that is my objective. Why? "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19) There it is again. That love. Steadfast love. Unfailing love. And I... I am a little pencil.