God’s love letter

As I was thinking about what to write this month, a couple of lines from one song, kept going round and round in my head. It’s not a particularly modern song, indeed, I wasn’t even born when it was written, but its words you may be familiar with, these words were ‘love letters straight from my heart,’ from the song, Love Letters, written in 1945 with lyrics by Edward Heyman and composed by Victor Young.

February is of course, the month in which we may celebrate Valentines Day, with ‘Love letters straight from our hearts,’ written to our nearest and dearest. Certainly our consumerist culture, will encourage us to spend money on cards and gifts for our loved ones.

As with many celebrations, one size doesn’t always fit all … whilst many will enjoy the romance and the opportunity to express their love at this time of year, what about those who have lost their loved one, or whose relationship has broken down, or who are still searching for ‘the one?’ How do we hold these tensions, whilst celebrating the love that so many have found?

Valentines’ day will closely be followed by Shrove Tuesday, if chocolate and roses aren’t your thing, then maybe pancakes, lemon and sugar are, before we potentially put all these things to one side and celebrate Ash Wednesday and enter the season of Lent, with its themes of Fasting, giving and prayer.

Lent, is an intentional season of preparation as we prepare to remember the events of Holy Week, culminating in Jesus death on the cross to save us from our sins, before joyfully celebrating his resurrection, and the assurance that we can enjoy eternal life with God, on Easter day.

The whole bible is a ‘love letter, straight from the heart of God,’ and we see that most clearly expressed in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which tell the story of Jesus life, death and resurrection, Gospel, literally translating as the GOODNEWS.

So this Lent, why not spend a little time each day, reading from God’s love letter and commit to reading just one gospel in the 6 weeks of Lent, Mark is the shortest gospel and the most action packed, page turner!

This love letter straight from the heart, the bible, is Good news for all of us, no matter what is happening in our lives and for all time.

May God bless you

Rev Heather