Column by Bro. Terry Ivy
“The Last Will and Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” (New Testament Forward in Old Bibles) Spending time praying and reflecting upon life while walking for exercise is a joy for me. I find myself remembering childhood friends and the houses they lived in. Memories flood back and will, at times, launch me into different reflections of the heart. Afterward, I can hardly wait to return to my office and put my thoughts down with ink and paper.
Several days back, I was on one such walk when suddenly I noticed an old, dilapidated mailbox. It was open and empty, and its base was consumed with weeds and vines. As I walked by, I saw it still had the family's name on the side of the box. I wondered, how many pieces of mail had been delivered through this old mailbox over the years?
In my youth, I mowed this yard during the summer months. I can still remember the couple that lived there very well. They were already very elderly when I did yard work for them. Today, the old house has been torn down. But in the theater of my mind I can still see the shape and size of the old home place.
As I stopped to look at the mailbox, I kept thinking, "One day, the couple that lived here received their last piece of mail. They walked out for the last time and retrieved the final letter from this old address." Our lives on this earth will end as sure as the sun sets every evening. We will have our last conversation, our last laugh, our last cup of coffee, and our last day to surrender to Jesus Christ for salvation.
I have no recollection of whether this elderly couple were Christians. But today, there are no more letters arriving in their mailbox. The box is empty, the house is gone, and they now have met their maker. They have received their last letter.
For those who belong to Christ, we also have received a letter. However, it is a letter that will continue to communicate to us and for us throughout eternity. It is a love letter from our Lord and Savior—the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. It is written with his blood, explained by his disciples, and given to us through the Holy Spirit. The New Testament is the only written book that will remain with us after death. Its journey is not limited to the Post Office or our mailbox, for it carries the promises of God for us through eternity.
I pray that every person reading this will make sure the love letter of the Gospel is permanently attached to your soul. The day will come when our earthly mailbox will be empty, and our life on this earth is over. For Christians, that day will reveal the importance of the Bible, God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures… The Last Letter!
