Love Notes

Elena Desserich was nearly 6 years old when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. As the cancer took its toll, her ability to speak was gradually stolen away. But little Elena would not be denied. Wise beyond her years, she continued to communicate and express her love for her family through handwritten notes.

Sadly, cancer took Elena less than a year after her diagnosis. Before she died, however, she apparently began to hide literally hundreds of little love notes and drawings throughout the house for her family to find after she was gone. Her parents would continue to find them intermittently in places like briefcases, among Christmas decorations, and tucked between the pages of old coloring books.

Elena's thoughtful little notes remind me of God's letters to us, the Bible. He left us 66 letters, love notes from a heavenly Father that tell us the story of His care and draws us to His ultimate good for our lives.

Thinking of the Bible in this way takes me to the Psalms, where David penned these lyrics for God, "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). He also wrote, "The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. . . . The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart" (19:7-8).

Later, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminded us, "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled" (Romans 15:4).

Today, take time to read the Bible and find the love notes left for you there. Let each one fall afresh on your heart, reminding you of God's unwavering love that has changed your life forever. , Jeff Olson

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