I Just Wrote to Say I Love You...

Can't help but think of my sister Naomi, on what would have been her birthday today. January is such a  tough month for me, having three deceased loved ones with birthdays in January--my sister, my uncle, and my mother-in-law. I have so many unanswered questions that I would love to ask these loved ones. I will always wonder how much joy would Naomi get out of being an aunt to two small boys, Abel and Jonah. How would she like her daughter-in-law, Alicia? (Something tells me the answer to both those questions is, "Quite a bit.") Would she like the rabbits? (Again, something tells me that she would probably have been able to get Molly tamed a bit better than we have. She had a way with animals.) I also think she would have gotten a kick out of Duck Dynasty.
But as it is, we'll never know. I am now the same age she was when she died. I try to avoid thinking about that because it freaks me out. It's not a good idea to live your life expecting bad things to happen to you. On the other hand, the reaction to bad or tragic events in one's life should not be, "Why does this always happen to me?"  (Weird Al Yankovic did a very funny song with that title line.)
As it is, my church has seen a good deal of tragedy over the past several years. If it weren't for our faith in God, where would we be? (Probably not in church.) But we have this promise found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." This promise, amongst many other promises God gives to us in His Word, is what keeps us going during these difficult times. I know I can believe His Word because I have seen Him work in the lives of my loved ones, and I have seen the work He has done in me. Also, those who have taught me from childhood would not lie to me. As Paul wrote to Timothy, "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:14-15) Because we have been taught the Scriptures from those we trust, he exhorts us to "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2)  Because we have the comfort that comes through knowing Christ as Savior, and because we have the church body, it makes tough times easier to bear. I like to think of the Bible as God's writing to us to say that He loves us, hence the title of this post, taken from a Stevie Wonder song. I disliked the song as a kid, but when I heard it again many years later, I was moved to tears. The song is about somebody just calling a loved one on an ordinary day to tell them of his love for them. When I read my Bible on any day, it's like God is calling me to tell me He loves me. I hope and pray that I may return His love in a way that honors Him.