Love letter #39: The power of snail mail and a party

Image via WikipediaIn a conversation today, I was reminded of the importance of showing love through community, physical presence, and investing with relationships by spending time with one another. Much like a "snail mail" letter vs. an email, physical presence  vs. electronic presence demonstrates a different level of care and concern.

I have a Great Aunt that faithfully sends birthday, anniversary and other cards on time to our large family with consistency and a loving touch. It feels different and more special, somehow, opening her card-- especially compared to an email.

Like a card, the physical presence of someone somehow demonstrates unspoken love in the same sincere way. That old fashioned accountability and fellowship is what builds community and demonstrates a type of love and care that can not be replaced. Scripture is consistent with the theme of the importance of physical presence, and urges us to value it by keeping community and caring for one another in the assembly.

Love letter # 28: Love that surpasses knowledge

Tonight I was with a friend and her small child. As we were talking to each other, the little girl looked up and became fixated on the sky. She was discovering what we were missing, even though we knew it was there-- the expansiveness of the sky. She marveled at the moon, and the clouds. She seemed fascinated that when she looked behind her and above, or if she looked in front of her or to the side, there it was-- the sky.

Sometimes its easy to get so caught up in thinking horizontally, one person to another, that we miss the expansiveness of God and the greatness of His love, just like we missed the majesty of the sky as we concentrated on one another. As I prayed for what to say to the readers of this blog tonight, I came across a prayer that Paul prayed to the church at Ephesus that was a great reminder to me and captured my heart for you.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

Ephesians 3:16-19

May you know a love without dimensions, may you be you experience love that goes beyond your understanding, and may that love take up residence in your soul, and strengthen your heart such that you are whole in our Heavenly Father and renewed in Christ. Amen.