In ancient Persia, around 500 B.C., there was a system of mounted couriers called the angarium. Herodotus, a fifth century B.C. Greek historian wrote of these couriers in his work entitled The Histories, saying that they were “stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.” Does that sound familiar? The United States Postal Service (USPS) adapted those words to their creed, which reads:
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
This creed is meant to imply that there is absolutely nothing that will stop the Postal Service from delivering the mail. However, in 2015, a large snowstorm in the Northeast caused the USPS to cancel deliveries.
It would seem that the USPS cannot be considered 100% reliable. In fact, in this world there is probably nothing that we can say with complete certainty is 100% reliable – not people, not vehicles, nothing that comes from man. But there is something that we can totally depend on, something that we can say with complete certainty is 100% reliable. That something is the love of God.
God’s love is there for us through any and all of the trials we encounter. His love is there for us through our sickness, through our weakness, and through the times when we seem to be in the wilderness. His love is there even when we are not particularly lovable. God loves us through all these things. Psalm 118:1 (NLT) says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Because God is faithful, we can count on His love. That love that was fully revealed to us through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
The USPS creed may not spark much confidence in us, but the following words of Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) are words that we can count on, words that are 100% reliable from a God who is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen and amen!
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A Worshiper's Journal 