When I was in college, and even when I moved to New Orleans to attend seminary, there were many things that brought me encouragement. But there was one thing in particular that brought me joy: I always could count on receiving a letter every week from my mom.  
Every day, I would make my way to the little post office at Shorter College, just after 10 a.m., to peer into my little post-office box to see if it was there. Even better than a letter was when one of those blue cards was in the box. That meant that Mom had sent a package (almost always consisting of baked goods with lots of chocolate).  
There always were a lot of “vultures” standing around at the post office. They were watching for anyone who got a package from home. Do you know how many cookies or brownies a pack of college students can mooch?  If I got a package in winter, I would try to slip it under my jacket until I could get it to the dorm room.  I was willing to share with my roommate, but I hated to have the entire box consumed before the day was over.
Those packages and letters from home were such a blessing. Today, with email and text messaging and the like, few letters are sent anymore. And when you get one, all the news is old. But I always longed for a letter from Mom. It always made my day.  
Some have described the Bible as a letter from God. From Genesis to Revelation, God has a special message for us. He has news that we need to hear. And even though the entire book was completed almost 2,000 years ago, the news still is as contemporary as an Internet home page. God’s word still gives us hope, encouragement and instruction we need to live daily life.
I have one regret concerning those letters from my mom: I didn’t keep them. Boy, I would love to pour over those precious words one more time. But each week when I would receive the next letter, I would throw out last week’s (yes, that is a male trait). Today, I do not have any of Mom’s writings. What I would give for just one!
But I am blessed to be able to hold and read those letters from God. In them, I see his great love for me. I hope you will take the time to read those words. They were meant for you, too. Could I encourage you to read God’s word? In it, we find life and love. In it, we find hope and encouragement.
God has spoken. Will you hear his word?