12-3-12- 2 Cor, 3:1-6 Letters at Advent

Monday- December 3

II Corinthians 3:1-6 - Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? You yourselves are our letter, written on our^* hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

I worry that we as a culture send so few letters anymore.  Carefully stored away with other treasures is the correspondence my husband and I have had throughout the years, faded letters from my father and grandparents who now live in heaven, and even a copy of a letter my great-great-grandfather wrote his father as he served in the Confederate army during the last days of the war.  How can my boys court the type of girls I want them to marry via text message! Letters are precious –in fact, much of our New Testament is letters that were so valued by the churches that received them that we read them almost 2000 years later. In one of these letters, Paul writes that the members of the Corinthian church are like “letters from Christ…written with the spirit of the living God…on human hearts.”  One of the most wonderful parts of our Christmas celebrations is Christmas cards.  It is such a joy to hear from far-away friends this time of year.  But as we go about our celebrations, let us remember that we too are walking letters, Christmas cards from Christ who has written with His Spirit on our hearts. Let us spread his joy and peace as we are “read” by others as they see our actions and our attitudes. May everyone see that Christ has given us life!

Prayer: Make me a love letter to the world around me, O Lord.  Open me up to share your grace and love.

Application: Today- write just one letter to a loved one, and wish them a Merry Christmas.

Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere!
Go tell it on the mountain- that Jesus Christ is born!
(PH #29 spiritual)

By Rev. Tracie Stewart