Anyone else remember the excitement those three words used to bring when you would open up AOL and hear the ding, and then the monotone voice, “you’ve got mail.” There was something about it. Thinking back, I am not sure if it was the excitement of mail or the reality that you were finally connected after waiting for what seemed like an eternity to actually connect after all the random noises the dialup connection used to make. Maybe it was mail from your girlfriend, or a happy birthday message or someone who was new to email just saying hi and testing it out. Either way there was a thrill to it.
How about when it was near your birthday and you would run to the mailbox to see if you got your long awaited card from your grandparents. Inside you knew it contained just enough money to go get that new lego set from Toys R Us. Oh the anticipation, the joy in getting mail. Nowadays even the post office sends you an email telling you what is coming in your actual mail that afternoon. Kinda ironic right. An email to show you an image of your real mail. You see the package you have been waiting for that you ordered offline. You know it is coming that day, but then it seems like the hours drag on as you wait. Yet still the excitement for when you get home.
I say all this because Eli is the same way. At 3 years old he loves going to the mailbox with me each day to see what’s there. Some days he will be like, “Just Junk dad.” Others he will get all excited, “Wow that’s a lot of mail dad.” He doesnt realize most of it is still just junk or bills, he just knows that we received something. So Lindsey and I decided the other day, because of his excitement and thrill of mail that we would surprise him. We went to Walmart, picked out a couple cards and then wrote personal notes of how much we loved them for our 2 boys.
The excitement it brought to him was incredible. When he opened the mailbox and saw his name on the envelope. “What’s it say bud?” With joy in his face he started screaming, “Eli, it says Eli.” And what about the other one? “Silas got one to.” And then before even opening them, he took off running towards Linds. “Mommy, mommy, I got mail.” It was totally worth the few bucks spent at walmart to give him that moment of joy and now cards they can hold onto. A simple reminder of our live.
Now thinking about this the last couple days makes me wonder if we get the same thrill and joy from opening God’s word. Each and every morning we have the opportunity to receive a message from God himself. A message of Him whispering, “ I love you” straight to your soul. He wants to speak with us, and to us. Would it bring us more thrill if maybe He made the noise of a bell before it and a deep audible voice saying you’ve got mail? Maybe if he sent it in a letter with postage on the front? How about in a package sitting in front of our door for when we get home? Would we have that same passion and anticipation or have we allowed God’s Holy word to just become part of our schedule, even mundane in our lives? What if we still had the thrill like Eli did saying, “Mommy, Mommy, God spoke with me today.” It might seem a little crazy to think about, but again is this what Jesus meant when he said to have faith like a child? A simple joy and excitement. God’s word can truly be like receiving mail each day. When you spend time in it and allow the Spirit to have a chance to speak, you might be surprised with what He has to say.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.- Psalms 1:2
Is there a joy, an excitement, a passion for His word? God wants to speak to you, to pour into you, to send you a message. Are you ready to listen?