“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3:16-17 (KJV)
When we were teenagers-in-love, Bobbie used to send me notes and letters with SWAK written across the sealed flap of the envelope. It was a secret sweetheart code that told me my letter was “sealed with a kiss.” We naively thought our parents had never been in love and wouldn’t know what SWAK meant.
Of course, guys also had their own secret code, which had to be explained to even the girls we wrote. We would put a series of Xs on the sealed flap of the envelope. We couldn’t let our buddies know that we were “in love” because they would rag us about it for ever. The Xs denoted a kiss, which we learned about in our World History class.
The use of an X to seal letters was begun in the Middle Ages. The cross of Saint Andrew was used as the common signature of those who could not write. It was an accepted sign of honesty, which signified that a man’s word was his bond. After “making his mark,” the signer would kiss the X to further guarantee his faithful performance of the obligation.
How I treasure the love that was behind those childhood letters and still remains strong today. And I also treasure the love behind God’s valentine to me. He wrote it in his own blood and sealed it with the kiss of the Cross. The greatest valentine this world will ever see and it says, “You are loved. Be mine!”
Dear Father, thank you for the love of your grace and mercy. Thank you for the strength it provides. Empower us to share your love with others. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his never-ending love and rejoice in it daily,