Being the Beloved

Mar 10, 20222 min read

Spirit of God, who dwells in all creation,

I allow you to love me without reservation.

This week the focus has been on God's unconditional love, a love that is far greater than you can think or imagine. Do you know in your being that you are intimately loved by God? Have you drawn from the deep well of God's love and been refreshed? Many times negative voices are barriers to hearing these words. Nouwen believes that the "greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity or power, but self-rejection". Self-rejection contradicts God's gentle voice that calls us the "Beloved". You do not have to prove your worth or earn God's love. God's arms are always outstretched to receive, love and protect you.

Nouwen tells a story about his trapeze artist friends, The Flying Rodleighs. One day he was talking with the flyer of the team. Rodleigh said, "As a flyer I must have complete trust in my catcher. Joe has to be there for me with split-second precision and grab me out of the air as I come to him in the long jump. The secret is that the flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything. When I fly to Joe, I have simply to stretch out my arms and hands and wait for him to catch me and pull me safely over the apron behind the catchbar. The worst thing the flyer can do is to try to catch the catcher. I am not suppose to catch Joe. It's Joe's task to catch me. If I grabbed Joe's wrists, I might break them, or he might break mine. A flyer must fly, and a catcher must catch, and the flyer must trust, with outstretched arms, that his catcher will be there for him." What a wonderful image of God, as the catcher. You do nothing. You only have to stretch out your arms and hands and fall into the arms of God. It requires letting go of control and trusting that God will never fail to catch you. God's arm are always outstretched to you.

Let Your God Love You

Be silent. Be still. Alone. Empty Before your God. Say nothing. Ask nothing. Be silent. Be still. Let your God look upon you. That is all. God knows. God understands. God loves you With an enormous love, And only wants To look upon you With that love. Quiet. Still. Be.