Written Love

I was walking a trail at Palisades-Kepler State Park last week when I came across a tree that had I ♥ M.C. painted on it in big white letters.  On the other side of the tree was I ♥ H.H.  Now, this is obviously vandalism and not okay, and I don’t know who M.C. and H.H. are, but I sure know they are loved by someone.  This made me think how interesting it is that people desire to write out their love for others - they want it documented.  Even if it is just on a single tree in the middle of a forest of trees.  You find love expressed this way in the sand on beaches, carved in railings on bridges and yes, even etched on bathroom stalls.  It doesn’t stop there.  Love causes people to write poetry, songs and epic novels.  
 
I think our God who created us hardwired us this way.  He gave us an innate desire to express love for others and to do so through the communication of the written language.  This is exactly what our Loving Father did for us in writing the Bible.  We see this easily in the favorite verse of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Written out so that you may know his love for you and how it comes about.
 
For those who believe in Jesus, the Bible is a letter of love - how we need him, how he came to save us, how he cares for us now and how he has prepared a place for us to live with him forever.  This is awesome!  It amazes me how few people pick up this incredible love letter loaded with truth and wisdom written by the One who loves them most.
 
Jesus not only had love written on paper (ok, papyrus), he had it written on his body.  His sacrificial love for us was etched not upon a tree or in sand, but upon his very body.  Upon Jesus’ perfect, resurrected body are the scarred hands and side.  Evidence of love forever on display for his children.  He even showed these to his disciples when he appeared to them after coming back to life (John 20:20).  As Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.  
 
We women can easily identify with scars on our bodies for the sake of love and life.  We don’t always appreciate them (um, stretch marks) but they are a great reminder that true love is sacrificial.  We would do the same thing all over again if we had to because we love our children so very much.  
 
God loves his children too.  The scars on his son prove it and his written Word proves it.  Appreciate the sacrifice and read the best love letter ever written.