Letters of Acceptance

To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NIV)

For almost a year now, I've prodded my oldest son to remember to loan me his degree earned last August so we could get it framed. While the certificate he'd been awarded came from an established university, bears signatures of academic officials, and is something to be super proud of, it is, afterall an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of card stock. (that cost thousands of dollars to acquire).

"It's really the letter of acceptance that means the most to me," he said.

My heart stilled.

I vaguely remember glancing at that thing. He'd placed in an impressive frame in a prominent place in his bedroom. The letter had slipped behind the glass and lay off center against the matte.

I gave it no more thought, particularly because the paper was wrinkled and he'd written something on it in the top right corner that had evidently come in contact with moisture and is illegible.

So why had that letter mattered more than the golden prize at the end of a hard-fought race?

Maybe he'd reveled in being chosen. Felt the worth assigned him that people of prominence found him capable of laboring long hours in an acclaimed business school to pursue a degree in marketing.

The reinforcement he'd need to find solid employment after graduation.

Or maybe it's as simple as ...

Acceptance.

It's what we all crave. God placed a need for acceptance into us so we'd seek and revel in the reassurance of his love.

For all the rewards, badges, medals (Olympics anyone?), championships (Go Suns!) we may have been given, trophies to fill a warehouse, it matters little compared to the letters of acceptance offered in scripture.

Painstakingly penned and preserved against all odds, Genesis through Revelation offers the supreme and complete Spirit-breathed love letter of acceptance.

God wants all of us to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and us. I Timothy 2:4-5

How about that for an invitation of admission?

Upon acceptance to the university, my son was under no obligation to take the next step.

"Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you admission to XYZ Awesome University ...Your next steps are to read the enclosed materials ... and share the exciting news with family and friends!

At that point, he could have disregarded the letter, torn it to shreds, tossed it in the trash atop a growing pile of crumbled Cheetos bags and energy drink cans. (those I remember. 😏)

Worse, he could have scoffed in disbelief and refused to act on it.

How do we respond to the letters of acceptance God has written us? Do we read scripture with an open , trusting heart? Are we ready to act, willing to let it convict and inspire and shed light where we've become blind to truth?

Do we scoff in disbelief or question God's goodness, thinking maybe he intended those letters for someone else?

My son wasted no time sharing his good news in November 2017.

How excited are we to share God's letters of acceptance with family and friends?

Thanks for reading! If you found today's post inspirational and know others who would benefit, please share.

Until next time,

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✏️Here's a link to the talk I gave April 20th with a dear friend of mine. Shining Your Light in Brokenness has received over 120 views!! May it encourage you in seasons of hardship and realign your perspective.