love

Love Letters – Psalm 45

/ Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment

Have you ever written a love letter?

Summer of 1986

In the summer of 1986, I met the man who, three years later, would become my husband. On day one of Intervarsity’s Christian Fellowship’s training camp at Bear Trap Ranch in Colorado, Bill Kotlan was too chipper at 8 am that morning. Everyone, including me, had just driven hundreds of miles from Texas after finishing final exams at our local universities. Some had even driven all night! And yet there he was, smiling away and welcoming all our fellow students. I responded politely but had little energy to engage.

Somehow just days later, at the dance one evening, I would find myself in Bill’s arms, moving around the room to the sounds of Ann Murray’s “Will You Have This Dance, For the Rest of Your Life.” Maybe, it was one too many Harlequin Romance stories or an equal amount of those “Love Boat” episodes of my misspent youth, or much more likely the hand of our gracious God, but I was smitten.

Miles Apart

Texas is huge, and at the end of our magical camp week, we departed for our hometowns about 400 miles away from each other. To add some real long-distance challenges to our budding romance, we both traveled overseas that summer after leaving Colorado. He promised to write, but I never imagined he would follow through.

Imagine my surprise when while staying with my extended family in England, my father arrived with a package of love letters mailed to my home address. Naturally, my family was also quite intrigued. I had never received a letter from someone I dated, let alone love letters!

A Heart Captured

If my future husband’s goal had been to capture my heart through the written word, he certainly excelled. He even included a few illustrations, light-hearted banter, Bible verses, and sweet mentions of missing me and thinking of me often. Banter and Bible verses continue to fill our conversations to this day!

Love letters remind both the writer and recipient of the bond they share. They reach across time and space and convey deep and abiding care. They remain as a testimony of love found and nurtured.

Psalm 45 is written as a love letter to our King.

1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.
(Psalm 45:1-5 ESV)

For King Charles’s coronation, millions tuned in because we were drawn to the pageantry and lore. What makes this appealing? In an ever-changing world, the traditions displayed during a royal coronation reassure us that some essential things don’t change. Psalm 45 reminds us as believers that the King we serve, the God of the universe, stands the test of eternity and never changes His plan or mode of operation.

Ruling Ways

In Psalm 45, the psalmist reminds us of three important ways the King of the universe rules.

  • Majesty

Our hearts overflow in response. “If something has majesty, it causes admiration and respect for its beauty….” Cambridge Dictionary

  • Mission

The King of this universe responds to the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness.

  • Mighty

He is mighty and worthy to fight and win victory.

The following two verses take an encouraging turn in their focus.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
(Psalm 45:6-7 ESV)

The Messiah

Verses 6 and 7 deliver a message of hope about our returning Messiah, Jesus, who will reign forever and ever.  He was anointed with the oil of gladness to carry the message of salvation to the captives and set them free. 

8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 
10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house,
11     and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12     The people[b] of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people.
13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14 In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.
(Psalm 45:8-15 ESV)

This section shows the scene when Jesus returns for His bride; the Church’s every member will bow his and her knees and acknowledge Him with joy and gladness. The ultimate wedding will unfold, followed by the Supper of the Lamb.

Enduring King

16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
(Psalm 45:16-17 ESV)

This reminds us of the eternal perspective we must hold on to in times when we might risk losing sight of it.  

What difference does it make to you today that you have an eternal king? One who will reign forever and ever?

It puts my daily difficulties in a much-needed perspective. Most of what I struggle with is not eternal but merely fleeting and over sooner than I can imagine. Even the suffering I must endure will not last forever. All of it pales in comparison to what my King offers me.

Take time today to write a love letter to God. Like Bill Kotlan’s love letters from almost forty years ago, these will remind you of your love for God and His love for you.

Four Love Lessons from Toddlers – Psalm 100

/ Anthea Kotlan / 2 Comments
A toddler holding an action figure.

Toddlers love hard. They love their toys, their friends, and their people.

This last weekend my son-in-law, a youth minister, was away all weekend for the annual youth retreat. My two-year-old granddaughter, Margaret, missed him so much that she insisted on going to bed each night with his photo clutched in her tiny hand.

On Sunday at church, I saw my grandnephew, also aged two, and he had a small plastic farmer clutched in his hand. My niece smiled and explained this toy had been renamed, Daddy. Evidently, Daddy had been in Cooper’s hand all weekend.

So, what can toddlers and Psalm 100 teach me about love? How can soul tending in Psalm 100 help me love God?

The psalmist begins with a command.

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 
Psalm 100:1 ESV
  1. Make a joyful noise.

Begin each day by making a joyful noise to the Lord. I have to appreciate that God does not ask me simply to sing because He knows sometimes, I can’t sing that well. I might miss the note or mix up the verses. God wants to hear from me anyway because He commands it.

Have you ever watched a toddler sing? It’s a full-body experience typically with hand motions both learned and made up. Watching the way Margaret sings, without a care in the world, reminds me of how God wants me to make a joyful noise to Him.

God commands me and all the earth to sing to Him because He knows we all need more joy in our lives. God designed us to make joyful noises. It was all part of the original blueprint. Belting out a song, without any care for who is listening, beside the Lord, is a great way to connect with our Abba Daddy God. Can I set aside a few minutes today to make joyful noises to please Him?

2     Serve the LORD with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing! 
Psalm 100:2 ESV

2. Sing while you serve.

One of my best grandma skills is making up silly songs. Whenever we need to clean up toys, wash hands, or go to bed, I have a song I sing with Margaret and her little brother, Ian. Toddlers don’t naturally love to serve but singing while we do something brings smiles and giggles every time.  

I think Snow White’s dwarfs might well have been onto something, “Whistle While You Work”. For God’s children of any age serving while singing or whistling can be a great way to love the task you set your hands to. God calls me to serve Him, and He requires I do it with gladness not grudgingly. For a watching and wondering world, my service to God is a testimony that far exceeds the words that I say. If I appear to be serving God out of a sense of obligation or in a way to please other people, it’s a poor witness.

What song can you sing to find joy in serving today?

3 Know that the LORD, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3 ESV

3. Know God

Toddlers know what they love, and they certainly love what they know. Therefore, toddlers, just like me, love a well-kept schedule and predictable rhythms in their lives. When Daddy is gone working at the youth retreat, in Margaret’s case, or working extra shifts in law enforcement, in Cooper’s case, clinging to a familiar object that they know reminds them of Daddy really helps.

We all need frequent reminders to hold onto in times of uncertainty. As children of God, holding onto scripture, listening to worship music, and spending time at church help us know God. What can you cling to this week to remind you to love God?

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4 ESV

4 Say thank you, please.

Saying thank you is not something that most toddlers do without prompting. I have often found myself saying, “Say thank you, please.”

The question becomes, which came first? Giving thanks or being grateful? Could it be that the more I give thanks, the more grateful I become? The more I list all God has blessed me with, the more I see He has done?

Entire books and social media campaigns have been created on the concept of thankfulness and how the practice can grow greater appreciation in hearts and minds. (See “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp to learn more.) Sometimes, Margaret and I spend time taking turns thanking God for family members and friends. The list often goes on and on.

5 For the LORD is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:5 ESV

1 John 4:19 say, “we love because He first loved us.” When my daughters were preschoolers, they both attended Bible Study Fellowship, and there they learned many songs. The one they both sang with gusto was “We love because He first loved us.” It was an incredibly simple song with plenty of repetition, just the kind toddlers love.

We love God in response to God’s steadfast love. His love for each of us is not based on what we have done or how well we do it. It is all about God pursuing each of us with his relentless and sacrificial love that lasts forever for all generations, especially those toddlers.