“Before email, we used mail to send notes to friends, and birthday cards to those far away. The time it took to write a letter, type it, or go buy a card that was special, and for that person was priceless. The time to go buy stamps, get envelopes, and all the other things that we wanted to send, was worth it. Now if you got the address wrong or didn’t put the correct amount of stamps, the letter would come back with a “return to sender” stamp on it. With email, it has made it easier to send someone a letter, a note, and we can even add things to it for them to buy. It has taken some of the personable part out of it, as there are now templates, Gifs, or other things that we copy and paste. On social media we just do a simple Happy Birthday post, or even send a text. It means something that people remember, although getting a reminder helps, but have we depended too much on technology, that the simple things of life are fading?
God did not mail it in when it came to not only sending us His word for guidance and peace, but also to give His Son for our sins. He nailed all that we had done against Him to the cross. He stepped down from heaven and made it personal, by taking the time to walk this earth, and experience the life we lived, to show His infinite love. Paul writes in Philippians two,
“Christ Himself was like God in everything. But He did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for His own benefit. But He gave up his place with God and made Himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant. And when He was living as a man, He humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross.” (NCV)
Isaiah Fifty Five says,
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; IT SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for I sent it.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)
The goodness of God abounds so deep and wide, that he provides us in all that we do! We as humans try to put God in a box, or think it is better how we do things, or handle things, that we think God can’t handle our mole hill problems. BUT LISTEN LINDA! His word doesn’t come back VOID, His purposes are always accomplished, even when people reject His word and truth, guess what, His word says, its His purpose. That’s hard for us to fathom, because how could God allow pain and suffering, but remember, His ways are not ours.
Our job isn’t to judge people and think they aren’t good enough to be loved, or that they will be saved. Our privilege is to preach and share the Word of truth, and to let the Holy Spirit deal with people. We aren’t to mail in our “ministry”; but with our whole heart, we should do it for the glory of God. We should take the time to make that card, or buy it. We need to make that call, and not just go thru the motions.
Let us be like Jesus, and come and be personal to one another when we are sharing the message of Hope. John writes in Revelation three,
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and OPEN THE DOOR, I will COME IN AND EAT WITH YOU, and you will EAT WITH ME.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)
Jesus will sit down and eat with us, if we open the door! What door? The door to your heart and let Him be Lord and Savior of your life. This isn’t for the current Laodicean era as some teach, but for all time of anyone who will repent and accept Jesus. Jesus purposed to go into every city and to sit with His disciples constantly, seeing the need and meeting the need.
So my question is with all this social distancing we have been experiencing, are you content being apart and away from everyone? My prayer is that we use this time to spend more time with God, with family, and especially making each moment count. God will never send your request back with a “return to sender” stamp. Only you can reject His love letter and not accept His grace and mercy. Only our sin and selfishness can keep us from the love of God. Make your choice today, seek Him today, while He still can be found!”
Jose Barajas
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