“His Beloved”

One of the fundamental questions we ask in life is: Who am I?

My simplistic answer to this question is this: My truest, purest, nonnegotiable identity is the beloved. And in spite of my checkered past, my fabulous flops, my painful history, my deepest flaws, my boneheaded screw-ups, and, yes, even beyond my own beliefs about myself, I am God’s beloved. This is my foundational identity and the foundational identity of every human being.

This is important because identity is the engine that drives the relationship not only with ourselves but also with God and others. If your identity is broken, your life is broken. If you define it incorrectly, you will carry that wrong definition into your story. If all you see are your limitations, you will miss out on the stunning possibilities God is creating in front of you.

When I am working with hurting people, probably the most tragic thing I witness is when they have accepted the lie that whatever ugly, can’t-talk-about-it, embarrassing thing has happened in their stories is beyond the grace of God. That his mercy doesn’t reach far enough. That his hand of grace is just beyond…

• the quiet addiction to painkillers;
• the shame of an unexpected divorce;
• someone’s sexuality and what it all means;
• the betrayal of a family member;
• the fear of growing old and being alone;
• a secret abortion and the sorrows of miscarriages;
• the depression, the sadness, and the eating disorder;
• the drinking and the bad choices;
• hidden regrets that you chose your career instead of your kids.

Yet God is reaching out in all these painful moments and whispers, Just reach back to me, my beloved! I am here. Please, I beg you. Just reach back.

People of the Second Chance by Mike Foster

You'll See It When You Believe It

When Jesus returned to Cana where He had changed the water into wine, He met a government official who begged Him to come to his home and heal his son who was about to die. Jesus’ response was not what you might expect, "Will you never believe in Me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" (Vs. 48).

Was Jesus rebuking him? I don’t think so. I believe He was describing our human condition that says, “If I can see it, I’ll believe it!” But Jesus was about to turn that around! Jesus was teaching a principle of faith that says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.”

The official believed that if Jesus didn’t come to his home and heal his son, the boy was sure to die. He pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies!" (Vs. 49).

He made two common mistakes. He assumed that Jesus had to be present to heal his son, and that it would be too late if the boy died! But Jesus would show him that God works the miracle in His time and in His way. So He tells him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" (Vs. 50). What would you do? This was certainly not what he had expected.

Sometimes our expectations of what God should do and how He should do it get in the way. You have to give some credit to this official though. He made no further appeals. As desperate as he was, he chose to believe Jesus and started home. On the way home his servants ran to meet him with the good news that his son was alive and well! In fact, he discovered the miracle occurred at the exact time Jesus had told him to go back home!

Common sense says, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” but faith says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.” The official believed what Jesus told him and, when he acted on that assumption, he saw the miracle!
Are you in a crisis of faith? What has God said that you simply need to believe Him for today? Trust God to work the miracle in His time and in His way.

49  The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”   50Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.”And the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.  
(John 4:49-50, MEV)

Source: The Bible App