An Unwritten Letter

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”       Psalm 19:14 

I’ll admit it, I’m not “hip” (by just using that word, did I prove it?!). I don’t have a wii, a cell phone with internet or texting, or even television channels. It shouldn’t surprise you, then, that tonight I first watched a movie that was released last April. Why did I watch it? I’m glad you asked.

In the last week two different people who don’t know each other emailed me about how wonderful this movie is. And so tonight for our Sunday night movie, we watched Letters to God. My tears, starting near the beginning of the movie, continued and even mounted throughout this incredible true story. 

A young boy, fighting brain cancer, writes multiple letters to God voicing his desire for healing and his questions about the “Why?”. However, his letters don’t only focus on himself. No, as the sickness progresses, he asks for layers of healing in other’s lives as well. Through these letters and his desire to live like Jesus would, he touches many lives: the kid in school who teased him, his best friend, his crotchety old neighbor, and even the drunk mailman whose past haunts him. What a testimony!

Now, my kids will tell you that I cry very easily in movies. If even just a loving dog gets hurt, I lose it. If a person, especially a child, is involved in a painful conflict, it’s even worse. So, it is no surprise that early in the movie the tissue box sat next to me. What was surprising was the reaction of my children; they were touched as well. So, at the end of the movie we talked about why the tears flowed in this movie when normally they are unmoved. Obviously there are many reasons, but I think the primary one was that this movie stirred not only our sadness for someone who was sick, but also our questioning reflection of what type of letters we would write. This smiling boy desired that his life, however short it was, would show people their need for Jesus. His goal was to glorify God while his body got weaker. He didn’t get revenge, he gave forgiveness; he didn’t live depressed, he shone his smile; he didn’t turn from God, he accepted his life and begged God to heal the hurt of others.

And so I think our tears recognized the bravery and selflessness of this little boy. I also think our tears expressed our doubt about how we would react. I believe that each of my children saw themselves as the little boy: would they stand strong if they were given his life? Personally, I imagined myself as the mom. 

If my husband died and my young son was then diagnosed with a killing brain cancer, what would be my reaction? Would I remain strong, pointing my children to God? Would I be a light and allow my child to be a light in the community? It is so easy to declare that we are Christians – ready to trust God and serve him no matter what… 

But what if it were my son? What if it were yours? What if disaster after disaster had rolled over your family? What would your example be? What would mine? 

And so, I come back to a verse that I love – one that, if I had to choose a life-verse, would be at the top of the list… 

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,” – even in the midst of personal tragedy, an unknown future, financial hardship…. May I live to glorify you in ALL circumstances, “O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”      (Psalm 19:14 with additions).