Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
[Excerpted from Christ’s Mission Is Our Mission by Peter A. Judd, Herald House, 2012, pp. 19–20]
The late writer and minister Henri Nouwen, in his provocative and insightful book Life of the Beloved, wrote of the essential role of each one’s claim to be God’s beloved. In writing to a friend, Nouwen said, “Fred, all I want to say to you is, ‘You are the Beloved.’…The greatest gift my friendship can give to you is the gift of your Belovedness. I can give that gift only insofar as I have claimed it for myself. Isn’t that what friendship is all about: giving to each other the gift of our own Belovedness?” The assurance of our own belovedness is a vital, indispensable gift of the Spirit. It is what grounded Jesus in his life and in his ministry with and for others.
If I understood Nouwen correctly, he was speaking of the unqualified love of God that is extended to everyone. He was saying that we cannot be the bearers of this gift to others unless we have claimed it for ourselves. It is the gift that, unless received and recognized, cannot be given to another. It is what undergirds, inspires, and makes possible our response as Christian disciples. Nouwen put it simply: “Becoming the Beloved means letting the truth of our Belovedness become enfleshed in everything we think, say, or do.”
Am I suggesting that we dare take the words “You are my child, the Beloved” and claim them for ourselves? Absolutely! Am I implying that we should personally and individually assert, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”? We certainly should! To shy away from such affirmations is to deny the power and presence of God in our lives.
Of course, in affirming our own belovedness we recognize the risks associated with making idle claims. If Jesus had not followed up his bold claim in the Nazareth synagogue with action, there would have been no substance to his words. The proof that God’s Spirit was with Jesus and that he really believed he was God’s Beloved was in his selfless acts of compassion on behalf of those whom society rejected. The same is true of his disciples: our belovedness must show forth in lives given for others.
Prayer Phrase
“For by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8).
Spiritual Practice
The Jesus Prayer of Mercy
The Jesus Prayer is an ancient spiritual practice from Orthodox Christianity. It is a way of connecting with the gracious Spirit of Christ as we ask to receive his mercy. The prayer comes from the scripture of the blind man calling Jesus to heal him. Silently enter prayer and let your breath become slow and even. Greet God and then take up the prayer phrase: Lord, Jesus Christ (as you breathe in) … have mercy on me (as you breathe out). Prayerfully repeat these words for several minutes (or forty times). Breathe the presence of Christ into your mind, heart, and body. Be transformed as you receive the compassionate, peaceful heart of Jesus.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.