Reflect
The greatest enemy of the spiritual life—according to Henri Nouwen—is self-rejection because “it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the Beloved.” Nouwen also refers to our “belovedness” as the “core truth of our existence.” Is your sense of identity in God based on self-loathing or the radical love of your Creator? If we don’t think God cares about us, why would we trust him with ourselves and all we hold dear? We trust those who love us, and it is a simple and foundational truth of our faith that God loves us most of all.
Pray
Lord of love, let me feel your love today.
Let it flow through me and fill me to overflowing,
so that I may better love you in return.
Assure me in your gentle and quiet ways
that I am indeed your Beloved.
Amen.
Act
Make a list of the times in the Gospels that Jesus assures us of God’s love.
