This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(1 John 4:9,10 NIV)
I started writing love letters again. I have been writing at
God for quite a few years now in my journal, but for the next forty days, I
sensed my Beloved invite me to write him letters.
A dear friend, Lynn D. Morrissey, wrote a book about this
idea: Love Letters to God: Deeper Intimacy through Written Prayer. I picked up the book to read in sips, a few
pages a day as I journey toward the most heart wrenching love story ever.
The story of a man, who used to live in heaven, and then
took on flesh to live among us. A divine man loved by the Father. The same Father who loved you and me so much,
who gave his one and only to become sin for us. And Jesus not only took on our sin,
but also suffered the penalty of sin: death.
A death that demonstrates the best love ever offered. To be
called His beloved is to be treasured beyond compare. So I am attempting these
days to write daily love notes to this God-Man-Spirit. The funny thing is I’m
not sure how to address Him. And I’ve told him so. I’ve tried “Dear Jesus” and
“Father God” and “Dear Friend” or “Lord Jesus” and they all are familiar, but
not quite clear enough, when speaking to a Triune God.
Then today, this word “beloved”, was offered. And it seems
to encompass the Father-Son-Spirit love that I long to express to HIm.
Beloved- I have been
thinking of you today and how much you love me. I am yours and amazingly, you
call me your own. Intimacy is frightening, yet to be close to you is really my
heart’s deepest desire. I love you. I look forward to rekindling our love
through letters. Love you-Kel
Linking up with:
Oh! I guess that means you won't be joining with the 40 Days of Writing to God with me! :(- well enjoy! And if I do mine we can compare notes! ;)
ReplyDeleteDawn-I'm actually reading both books for Lent and using them to kindle my correspondence to our beloved Jesus. I will be following along to see what you glean from 40 days as well. Peace and joy!
DeleteI think I had that book at one time...I wonder where it went? Or maybe I just coveted it at a bookstore? Hmmm...I might have to look in the garage.
ReplyDeleteKel,
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post. I love the idea of writing a love letter to God. I write in a journal, but a love letter is more intimate and personal.
Thank you for nourishing your readers soul with truth from God's word.
In Christ...Susan
Thanks Susan for stopping by...enjoy writing letters to our beloved Jesus!
DeleteSounds like a great book. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Natasha!
DeleteDearest Kel,
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise and delight to read about *my* book on *your* site! =] I knew that you were re-reading Love Letters to God: Deeper Intimacy through Written Prayer, but I didn't realize you would mention it again. It's always so exciting for me to read comments like yours and those above, where people have already adopted the habit of prayer-journaling, or else they hope to. I'm excited because I know that this type of prayer, in particular, will draw them into the deepest intimacy with the Lord imaginable, because they will spend longer in His presence, He will use their pen to draw out longings and emotions they never new they had, and He will give them this gift to prove His faithfulness over time. There is nothing sweeter than going back and re-reading prayers--our word-for-word communication with the Lover of our souls--and to see His faithfulness in how He answered those prayers and carried us through. God cherishes and honors verbal and silent prayer, but it is evanscenent to us. We can never remember *exactly* what we said. But our written prayers are tangible, and we can re-read them over and over and over again. When we do, it's like praying twice. And when our passion for God wanes (and sadly, at times, it will), as we re-read our prayers, He ignites our fervor all over again. I can't tell you the number of times that that has happened to me--even recently. Of course, reading is Word is so important, as well. I have been reading in the Song of Songs lately and this exquisite term "Beloved" is used. I like that you are using it now. It is an endearing term of intimacy. Should your readers be reading my post, I want to mention why I write my prayers as letters to God. As John Donne said, "Letters mingle souls," and there is something extraordinarily intimate about a letter--especially a love letter. How we long to receive them. It occurred to me that our Lord would long to receive ours too. Also for a once prayerless Christian who felt awkward with verbal prayer as I once had, writing a letter to God freed me. It allowed me to express whatever was in my heart and the world around me, while I focused on the page. ANd no longer did I feel the need to use "pious prayer language," but just my "everyday speech" that I would use with a close friend. And lest the idea of writing a "love letter" be offputting to some, your readers should know that I say *anything* on my heart in my love letters to God--be it my love for him, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, or angst, grief, doubt, despair, anger, pettiness and ennui. True love expresses ALL emotions, and true love accepts them. So my love letters are not ooey-gooey, frilly prose (though I can and sometimes do wax poetic). Rather, my love letters are true expressions of my authentic self in all its raw and real vulnerabilty. I have journaled my prayers for ovr 35 years, and God's gift of written prayer has absolutely transformed my life and walk with Christ. As we think of love letters so near to Valentine's Day, may your readers be encouraged to pick up their journals and pens and write their love letters to God. There lives will NEVER BE THE SAME!
Thank you again for reading the book,Kel, and for telling others about our passion (yours and mine for journaling and Jesus!), and for writing your own love letters to God. I can't wait to hear about your journey!
Love
Lynni
Lynni- I love your testimony about how writing love letters to God transformed your life and relationship with Him. And how it has changed the way you pray. I look forward to seeing what happens as I intentionally write love letters to God during Lent.
DeleteAwesome post and heart, Kel. God calling from within us to a deeper relationship with Him is a gift. Truly beyond anything we can sense in our flesh. I, like you, was deeply moved by Lynn's book and was just thinking of it and her yesterday as I finish up all my Bible studies with a journal prayer. God is awesome that He uses our fellow Christians to help reveal His will and heart... Thanks for yours, it does more than you know. God bless.
ReplyDeleteFloyd- I was looking for a book to read during Lent, and the Holy Spirit prompted me to read Lynn's book again...I read it awhile back and I think I read it before I took her journaling seminars, so it is refreshing to read it again, since I have come to know her passion for prayer-journaling firsthand and in person. She is a great encourager. Thank you for your encouragement in written word here in the comments and at your blog. God uses words, that's for certain!
DeleteAnd wow! I am encouraged by Kel & Floyd!!!!
DeleteXXOO,
Lynni