Beloved, 2

Monday, January 12, 2009

Psalm 1,2,3; 4,7
Isaiah 40:12-23
Ephesians 1:1-14
Mark 1:1-13

In love (5) he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
(Ephesians 1:4b-6)

I'm fairly amazed at today's Daily Office readings. I preached on Mark 1:1-11 yesterday, and came close to including Ephesians 1 (which was the epistle reading from a week ago Sunday). This verse and those around it affirm that we were made to hear and live in the the truth that the Father is continually saying, "You are my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased."

He chose us before the foundation of the world, in love predestining us for adoption as his daughters and sons (this was his eternal will!), to the praise of his glorious grace with which has has blessed us in the Beloved (the One to whom He has been saying "I love you" forever, and in whom He delights and is well-pleased). In other words, he made us for this love relationship; through Jesus, God created us to hear and be healed by that voice; to resonate with and be perfectly in tune with that beautiful word which is under and through and ties all creation together: "I love you, I couldn't be happier with you."

The paragraph continues this thought, speaking of the forgiveness he lavished upon us (there can be no restoration to relationship without it), as an expression of the mystery of his will, his plan for the fulness of time: to unite all things in Christ...

This unity is in Christ, and through Christ, he holds it all together. But on the level of us human beings (horizontally so to speak), that unity can only happen when we know we are beloved. When I am safe and secure in being loved now and forever as I am and not as I should be, when I trust, as a beloved one, that all things will be well - I can love others, I can live in that unity without pulling away in fear, defensiveness, hurt, control, etc. Then I can begin to love as I have been loved. May God give us grace to trust and believe, and to give what we've been given.

"to the praise of his glory..."