Are you on Facebook? Has someone invited you to be their friend and do you read the homepage to get updates on people’s status? Do you write on a friend’s wall? Did you receive an email today or send a text? Have you commented on a blog post? Do you Twitter? Technology has changed our communication mode. One research group claims that there are 2 million emails sent every second. Another study showed that 2.5 billion text messages are sent each day in the US. More text messages are sent per phone than phone calls. The average text messages used per month is 357 compared to 204 cell phone calls. I recall seeing an interview with a teen on a morning talk show where he texted 1,000s in a day!

Reading through the Psalms yesterday, I came across one of my favorite verses, “God sends his love and his faithfulness.” (Psalm 55:4) In a Bible study I am doing, the writer comments that we hear God in a number of ways, but never contrary to His Word. That got me thinking as to how we receive God’s messages. We hear his answers in prayer—maybe a distinct “no”, whether it is in a whisper or a shout to stop and brake. Sometimes we hear a clear “yes”. Other times He tells us to “wait”. A wise friend may give us advice and we know when we hear it, that God is speaking through her. We read how He acted in the lives of Old Testament or New Testament characters and look for a principle or example. His Word is filled with encouragement and promises. Regardless, His message to us always includes love and faithfulness. If He withholds, it is for my good and out of love, if He delays, it is out of love; if He gives and allows, it is out of love. And one thing is constant: He is here. He is faithful and He is present.

In our message driven society via technology, imagine my surprise and delight, when within the past few months I received three—count them-- three handwritten letters. I treasure them. The women took the time to write in their handwriting, personal notes to me. They weren’t an abbreviated text message, an email or posted on Facebook, for others to read too, but were directed only to me.

Many years ago, Promises Promises was a popular Broadway musical. The title was redundant to emphasize the emptiness of the characters’ “promises.” God’s messages are redundant to us too, but far from empty. We can count on them because they are promises, promises. They are directed to us and they are intensely personal. They are filled with love and faithfulness.

Reflection: What promises can you find in scripture to encourage you? Make a list of five things in your life where you see God’s love and faithfulness to you. On a practical level, what about sending a handwritten note to a friend today?

How about sending a message to a friend(s) inviting them to share a slice of this delicious coffeecake and a cup of coffee or tea with you?

Apple Coffee Cake

½ cup oil 1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ cups sugar 2 cups diced apples

2 eggs 1 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla ½ cups walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 cup sour cream 1 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups flour ½ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

Blend oil and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine well and add sour cream and stir. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture. Fold in diced apples. Pour into a greased 9x13” pan. Combine butter, nuts cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degree oven for 40 minute or until done.