Love Is On The Cards

How many of us have our own cache of cards expressing congratulations or salutations from dear ones? Birthday cards. Graduation greeting cards. Congratulations cards. Get-well cards. Thinking-of-you notes. Praying-for-you notes. Appreciation cards. Thank-you cards. Bon voyage cards. Sympathy cards. All of these are found among our memorabilia and form part of our memoirs.

 

Some cards express sentiments by way of a picture, a printed slogan or a handwritten note that touch heart strings to such an extent that we can never part with them. They become "keepers." These are a great source of encouragement when life takes a bleak turn and we feel threadbare emotionally or inexpressibly lonely. After experiencing an overwhelming victory against the forces of evil, Elijah's victory celebration turned to "a pity-party" of defeat and depression, 1 Kings 18-19. He appeared to forget that God had provided him with sustenance in dark days. It slipped his mind that God had protected him from the powers of evil. He didn't seem to remember who was in charge of the universe. It also escaped his attention that there were many allies who were supportive of the true values he espoused. Could you imagine if Elijah had had an office in the cave on Horeb or a filing cabinet under the Juniper tree where he could have glanced through his collection of greetings cards of encouragement and appreciation? Just think how much that would have lifted his spirits.  He would have seen the "love on the cards." But, alas, it didn't happen!

 

Love letters are not always written in the sand. Sometimes "love" is on the cards that we keep in a folder and store in our hearts. Paul shared the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians with us so that we could live in a world of love. It helps us "act out" love. It helps us to recognise "love" when we see this abstract life-changing emotion in action. It helps us imitate the Lord of Love--Jesus the Christ of God.

 

When "love is on the cards," we may peruse them during times of trial. Especially those cards from our own children expressing their gratitude for our enduring influence on their lives make our day. Their words make the thorny trail of parenting a worthwhile venture of great significance. They always gladden the heart and we are pleased to own them as our own "flesh and blood."

 

Years ago in Port Elizabeth, sister Billie Bourne made it a priority to send each child in the congregation a birthday card on their special day. She always wrote her greeting lightly in pencil on the card. This precious widow was practicing "recycling" before it became in vogue. She would suggest that her written greetings could be erased and the card could then be used by the original recipient to bless someone else on their special day. We were all sad when the "card-lady" addressed her final card and laid down her pencil for the last time. Kindness, however, is never forgotten and her memory still warms our heart.

 

Someone has defined B-I-B-L-E as "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." Above all, it is the expression of God's love to his children. Love is on the cards in the pages of that wonderful old but ever-fresh Book!

 

And now, "love each other for love is of God," 1John 4:7.    

 

Love you all,

 

Al--"the Horne of Africa."

 

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