The Lost Art of Letter Writing. Philippians 4.21-23

Nobody mourned its impending death . . . no one talked about how much it would be missed.  No billboards or television commercials warned of the void it would leave . . . yet, just like that, it has almost vanished as a viable connection of hearts, of happenings and goings-on, as exchange of cordialities, and recording of historical events—it is the irreplaceable hand-written letter.

I am a tactile person.  I love pen and paper—especially good quality paper and a pen that writes smoothly upon that paper.  I do not profess to do too many things well, but in case you are wondering—I am a good skater.  I have pretty penmanship, and I am a great speller.  I have strong abdominal muscles and can do more sit-ups than the average mammal.  And … I used to be able to write a great letter; I am not sure anymore. 

Paul wrote a great letter, conforming to the Greco-Roman letter writing conventions, beginning and ending with his greetings:

“Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”

Paul endeavors to connects several things in these last few verses: the saints, those who are ‘in Christ Jesus’; Paul’s fellow ministers who send greetings to the Philippian Christians, and the other believers—such as those who belong to Caesar’s household—which could mean members serving Caesar all over the world.  Take note:  as early as it was—in terms of the spread of Christianity—Christianity had spread into the very center of the Roman government, or as Paul said, to ‘those who belong to Caesar’s household’. 

It would be 300 more years before Constantine ‘legalized’ Christianity in Rome, but Christianity’s early in-roads were undeniable.   Because Paul had been literally chained to the Roman guard(s), they had heard the Gospel—there had been no escaping for them!—and it had spread far and wide through the Roman Empire.   And now, these ‘members of Caesar’s household’ were sending greetings to their fellow Christians in Philippi---can you spell i-r-o-n-i-c or rather  d-i-v-i-n-e?   ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  Amen.’ 

F. B. Meyer, turn of the century English minister, commented far better than I ever could myself:  “It is impossible to define all that is meant by this comprehensive prayer -- illumination for the soul, love for the heart, strength for the mind, purity for the character, help in every time of need, direction in all perplexity and difficulty—all these are included in the word grace.”  These are the things that Paul breathed out in prayer for his beloved Philippians…knowing he could not be with them, as they no doubt endured persecution for their beliefs, hardships, trials . . . things unspeakable which would require the grace of the Lord Jesus.

Have you ever loved someone into faith?  Oh sure you prayed…?  But, in order to see them across the finish line, I think you would have had to have truly loved them, been devoted to them in some part of yourself, been committed to pray for them—well, have you?  Then, you would ‘get’ Meyer’s understanding of grace—‘illumination for the soul, love for the heart, strength for the mind, purity for the character, help in every time of need, direction in all perplexity and difficulty’.

For that is what we wish for those we love, for those we want to see cross the finish line of faith.  Is it not? 

And for you, my dear friends . . . For you, my beloved readers around the world . . .

I wish nothing less— Illumination for your soul, love for your heart and in your heart, strength for your mind, purity in your character, help in your time of need, direction in all perplexity and in any difficulty you might face . . . grace and forgiveness to cover any frailty in your being.   Amen.  So be it.  In the name of Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

Christine