In 1920 the U.S. Post Office Department ruled that children may not be sent by parcel post.

OK—now you know, so you have no excuse. You may not mail your little brother or sister to anyone, no matter how irritating they become. (Admit it—you’ve had that thought.) Someone must have tried it; otherwise, why would we have a rule against it?

Usually we think of mail as a way of sending messages (and packages), of communicating, with others. And we love getting letters (and packages) from friends and loved ones. Especially birthday cards with checks enclosed! These days we can communicate almost instantly with cell phones and e-mail.

Communication is at the heart of any relationship. We need to talk, to express, to share, to explain, to clarify, to ask for help, and to receive counsel and encouragement. Think about your best friend at school. Even if you spent most of the day together in classes, in the halls, and riding the bus, you probably talked or e-mailed that evening too, right? And when you’re totally out of touch with this person, you can’t wait to fill him or her in on your experiences and to catch up. Friends communicate.

You have a relationship with God, right? So how much do you talk? Communication is vital to that relationship, too. So how much do you listen?

We talk to God through prayer. Paul wrote, “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18).

God talks to us through his Word, the Bible. Check out 2 Timothy 3:16.

No one, not even the government or the Postal Service, can keep you from communicating with God. So what’s stopping you?

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6)

To Do

Take a few minutes and write a letter to God, thanking him for all he has done for you, confessing where you’ve let him down, and asking for his help. Be specific. Put the letter in your Bible as a reminder of the importance of communicating with God.

Also on this day . . .

This is Race Unity Day.

This is Lobster Day.

1986—Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson were born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.