Letters of Faith
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 1 John 2:1a (NASB)
There was a time when people wrote letters with paper, ink and stamps for postage. It wasn’t as instant as email or text, it took time to compose your letter and then to await the reply, maybe a week or more later. There are many literary works of the most exquisite love letters exchanged by famous people, examples being the letters between F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda and those between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. Such letter writing was not only the preserve of those in love, but could be between good friends or even Christian brethren. I remember writing to Christian friends in other regions or even when I was away from home, the main purpose being to share prayer news and to encourage each other in the faith.
I enjoy the letters of the saints in the New Testament; they took a long time to reach their destination and were immensely valuable to everyone involved. In these epistles you get a close look into the lives of the early church, and find valuable wisdom which has survived time to be applicable in our lives today. John writes with a tender address to his “little children“; the words of an older believer to those still young in the faith. Todays’ verse excerpt shows us the purpose of John’s letter, that is to instruct his readers and encourage them towards a holy life. Is there any greater application for a letter, than to guide brethren away from sin and into the way of holiness – from darkness into light?
Dear reader, who can you encourage in Jesus with a handwritten letter/card? As you read this are you reminded of someone in the faith who you have lost contact with? Maybe even a family member or friend, believer or unbeliever? With social restrictions as they are for many of us in 2022, writing a letter or card may be more appropriate as a way to reach out in love to those that you miss?
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Alan Kearns is a Christian father and grandfather from Scotland. He was raised in the mining villages of Fife and came to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour in 1984. Major influences that lead Alan to Jesus was his Christian mum, grandparents and an aunt. Alan writes regular devotionals in his blog, Devotional Treasures
Article, and Photo by Bruno at Pixabay, Published With Permission
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