I’ve been working on a difficult post and decided to take a break from it to share a verse I rediscovered this week. I have this verse taped to the cabinet of my desk at work. You know how something is so familiar in your space that you don’t see it anymore? Well that’s how it was with this. I read it around the same time that God whispered to me that He wanted me to write a blog and I taped it to my cabinet so I wouldn’t forget it.
2 Corinthians 3:3 (NLT)
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts.
I think that is just beautiful. “You are a letter from Christ.” There are many types of letters. There’s the recommendation letter, the resignation letter, the dreaded “Dear John” letter, etc. These letters have their place (well maybe not the “Dear John” letter), but how about a letter from Christ. What would that look like?
The summer of 2012 was my first trip to New England. My family and I went with good friends of ours and we stayed in Vermont for a few days and then went to Maine for a few. It was nice to have our very own “tour guide” to show us all of the beautiful places to see. My friend that was with us actually grew up in Vermont. One of the places we visited was Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont. I know…not your typical vacation destination, but let me tell you it was beautiful. Oh, and we visited on my birthday and yes that is where they decided to sing happy birthday to me (smile). The cemetery actually gets visitors from all over the world. Why? Well it has the most amazing memorial art made of granite. Here’s a sample:
How much time do you think it takes to create such amazing work? Do you think a lot of thought goes into it…a lot of time? I think of that verse “It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts.” The Spirit of the living God. Wow! Not on stone, but on human hearts. Double wow! If the stone carver has to be precise, think things through, take his time…how much more must I guard my actions and my words. They are carved on human hearts! Those hearts are fragile and my “letter” is an imprint on their hearts…on their souls…
I want my “letter” to be a love letter. Not the “new love” gushy kind of love letter, but the kind that shows compassion, grace, mercy, etc. The kind that says I know you aren’t perfect and I choose to love you the way you are because it matters. I’m not perfect either and I want the same from you.
Our “letters” matter. We will make mistakes. We will bruise some hearts. But if we learn from those mistakes, and sincerely apologize for them…the bruises can heal over time. Our words and actions leave imprints on others hearts. Lord help us to leave loving imprints.
What kind of letter do you want to be?
Love Matters 
Lesa, you are an amazing writer. You certainly have given me food for thought! Thank you!
Thanks Debbie!
Dear Lesa,
I grew up in New England and have such a fondness for these old graveyards. The monuments are so touching… how can one not love them? And the flume carved a gorge and the ocean carves the rocks. It’s a place that makes my heart soften just thinking about it. Thanks for the reminder of home before I met Steve. Now home is wherever he is.
Linda I absolutely LOVE it up there. It some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen. One of these days I would love to get up there in the fall. I can’t even begin to imagine how pretty it must be at that time of year. Not sure if you’ve seen our vacation photos on Facebook, but we’ve caught some really beautiful shots from there these past two summers. Because of our trips, I’ve become obsessed with moose (lol) although I’m sad I haven’t seen one in person yet….despite all the warning signs on the roads :-). Glad that this brought you some fond memories.
The last place I lived up there had moose walk by regularly and my little sister (who was in her late 30’s at the time) would say “Here moosey, moosey!” She loves moose.
Lol