Letters

Janet Bird writes:

We are in many ways lucky that we live in an age of technology. Even those of us who claim to be Luddites are turning to our computers to keep in touch with the church, family and friends. Those without computers are so grateful for the television and for telephones to enable us to keep in contact.

However, our grandchildren have put us to shame by deciding to start writing letters to tell us how much they miss us and to keep us in touch with what they are doing. This is in addition to using modern technology and is really making a difference to all our lives.

Writing a letter means actually thinking about spelling, grammar and punctuation. A letter is a document which will last and which can be read and re-read time and again. It is far better than emails which just overpower your computer files and are usually written in haste or even in a form of shorthand.

Letters can express feelings as well as thoughts and when a handwritten letter is received in this day and age it can be a cause for delight and excitement. It is a wonderful feeling to know that somebody cares enough to take time out from their busy life to sit and think about what to write and how to make their message interesting so that perhaps you will want to write back to them.

Letters play such an important part in the New Testament, being used to both encourage the early Christians, as well as showing them where they have gone astray.

St Paul’s 2^nd letter to the Corinthians was written nearly 2000 years ago but his message is just as relevant to us today.

2 Corinthians 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God