Greetings,
I am so excited to share this Ichthys Letter with you all today. There are more on the horizon as well. Since I began this series back in February, The World of Kedoshim has grown. It is no longer just a vision hanging on my living room wall and in all honesty, there is actually less space on that wall now.
As I continue to work on the next part of the story in book 4, The Hope of Inheritance, this letter takes us to the end of The Cyprus Journal, but just before the beginning of The Hope of Inheritance. This is a season of transition and change and I can't wait for you to read this. Consider it an introduction to book 4.
I write to you from Caesarea in the midst of a ministry that is ever-changing. My time here has been impactful. It is strange to think about what has brought us to where we are but ministering alongside Phillip, the one called Obedient, and Cornelius, the one called Faithful, has been eye-opening.
While I desire to share stories of the growth, the church has seen since Paul’s release from Rome and his immediate departure toward Crete thereafter with Titus and Tychicus; I have sent Tertius, whom we both cherish, with this letter addressing the death of your dear mentor, Barnabas. I have been waiting for the right time to send this letter to you and while it may be later than I anticipated, I believe the time is right.
We’ve seen enough from Onesimus to know his heart, and Paul and I are overflowing with gratitude for the incredible blessing he’s brought to the church. Please encourage him in the faith and accept him as one of your own.
Barnabas would have wanted it this way and while his sacrifice enabled much growth in Salamis, he was loved by both Paul and I. Sometimes the pain of this world can destroy the joy we find all around us. Losing someone we care deeply enough about to call a friend is not an easy endeavor to overcome. One day we find ourselves filled with all the joy we could ever imagine and the next, everything is out of balance.
There have been moments in my own life where I have felt this pain and it has completely disrupted my ongoing mission to document the history of our faith so much that I became incapable of moving forward for a time. It is in these moments that we must grasp our faith more deeply than ever before. It is in these moments that the most important step we can take is to give our pain to the one we call Savior.
To witness someone so close to you die at the hands of the very souls we were all called to love could not have been harder for myself or anyone else. While I can not comprehend the way I would respond to something as devastatingly painful, I am grateful to have learned you are continuing your journey and mission. It is encouraging to know that your faith remains, even in this pain.
I must caution you, though, do not ignore your pain, dear child. This will only lead to destruction. The weight of this loss is heavy and you need not hold it on your shoulders. There is no reason for you to bear this burden alone, and you are not responsible for what took place. You responded just as you have been called to and it may not be during our life here on earth. The day will come when Barnabas will find his way back to us both.
I plan to travel through Myra on my way to meet with Aristarchus and the others in the coming months. I am sure his family continues to grow as they serve God as they have been in Tyre. Sending him there when I requested Nathaniel and his brother come here has proven encouraging.
I often think of the days we all spent together in Ephesus and even Rome with great Joy. Amid everything we endured, I knew Theophilus would find his way back into your life, and am encouraged that he could be there with you, Timothy, and Onesimus for a time, despite the pain of losing another dear brother of ours.
In our letters to each other, he has taught me many things. One specific interchange we explored was regarding the essence of grief. His explanation is worth sharing with you. I only ask that you share it with Onesimus as well. I still remember the words he wrote to me as if it were only a day ago…
I have determined that grief cannot simply be ignored. In truth, it is the essence of our love, and it stands the test of time. It is everything we have ever wanted to give someone but could not. The deeper our bond with that person, the stronger it becomes. All of it builds from within.
When the one we have given that love is gone, it makes its way from the deepest part of our heart and manifests through the pain we bear with our tears and sadness. We have no control over it because it is the perseverance of our bond, even after death.
His words spoke deeply to me. They provided solace and comfort during the difficult time of Paul’s incarceration in Caesarea. It seems as if it was so long ago. Much of what he endured while here was painful to witness.
Speak kindly to our brothers and sisters in Ephesus. Encourage them with the news of my journey through Myra and remember, dear child, you are not alone in your grief. You’re not alone in this trial, and you are a dearly loved brother in Christ. I, Luke, look forward to visiting.
Make room, as I will send another letter to Theophilus before I journey there. Continue to grant him favor and do not underestimate his worth to you, regardless of your current contempt toward him. I hope to visit before he leaves for Rome. May our great God be with you.
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