The Beloved

Hello faithful family, friends, and followers, welcome. We are doing well in our “new normal” groove with no life events to report, so I will keep my comments brief.

In considering what to share, I was drawn to thoughts from Henri Nouwen that touched both Joy and I in a special way this week, and yet for all the times I have quoted Nouwen, I came to find that I had not ever shared this particular text in our blog.

In his book, “The Life of the Beloved,” Nouwen opens with an encouragement to recognize the reality, and trust the fact, that we are each viewed by God as His beloved. In the following Henri beautifully ties together references from several scriptures to create a love letter from God that again, moved Joy and I as we read it. Nouwen writes:

We are the Beloved. We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children, and friends loved or wounded us. That’s the truth of our lives. That’s the truth spoken by the voice that says, “You are my Beloved.”

Listening to that voice with great inner attentiveness, I hear at my center words that say:

“I have called you by name, from the very beginning.

You are mine and I am yours.

You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests.

I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother’s womb.

I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace.

I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child.

I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step.

Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch.

I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst.

I will not hide my face from you.

You know me as your own as I know you as my own.

You belong to me.

Nothing will ever separate us. We are one.”

In the words above Nouwen speaks of God’s heart toward us as His Beloved. In our Bible reading this week, Joy and I were also moved by the following verses from Psalm 73, which can be seen as reflecting back our heart toward God. The Psalmist writes:

Yet I still belong to you, O Lord;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

leading me to a glorious destiny.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

I desire you more than anything on earth.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,

but God remains the strength of my heart;

he is mine forever…

I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,

and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Our prayer is that you and those you love may join us this week as we listen to the truth spoken by the voice that says, “You are my Beloved.”