Month: March 2015

  

  

I remember vividly the day it happened.

I have always been a part of the family, but for some reason this took it to a new level. This added so much more to my life and yet that realization really scared the every living mess out of me. That something like this could add so much.

I am speaking of the day when I became a part of the iPhone family. My first iPhone was a 3G, and then I had a 4, then I moved to Verizon and got a 4s because Siri was going to revolutionize my cell phone life, I might that I rarely use that terrible thing anymore. See how we are with cell phones is how we are with everything else, including God. We have to have more and more and more, but ultimately down deep we have this insecurity that we are not enough and never will be.

I know this to be true because when I was a teenager and to my young adulthood I felt this distaste at times for who I was. We want these things because we think that will take away all of those feelings.

Every year we go crazy when a new one comes out. The latest was the iPhone 6 and 6+ and next will be the 7 and then 8 and then so on and so on.

Somewhere, sometime we have all come to a point in our lives where we started putting more value in what people say and not in what God says.

We sought to be popular and didn’t care so much for being like God. Being like God is not popular, it is revolutionary, radical, controversial. It doesn’t gain your cool points when it comes to the world necessary overall.

We have begun to believe in the self-rejection gospel and not believe in the Beloved Gospel. The Self-rejection gospel is just not true. Not even in the least bit. Let me read you a quote from a book that I am reading. It’s from a book called “The Life of the Beloved” by Henri Nouwen.

“Aren’t you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don’t you often hope: “May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country, or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.”

We can drive ourselves crazy looking for purpose and our deepest desire. Henri goes on with what something more.

“Well, you and I don’t have to kill ourselves. 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 that I want you to claim for yourself. That’s the truth spoken by the voice that says, ‘You are my Beloved.’

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.”

At one point in time God had an idea. That idea was each of you. He intentionally created you in your mother’s womb and created you to be a masterpiece, an original work of art, a poem created in love and grace. You are God’s Idea. You are created the way you are on purpose for a purpose.

God we pray that you will encourage, equip, energize, and empower us to Be Your Beloved and help others come to this as well. Help us to love as you love, speak as you speak, and listen as you listen.

Amen.