Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the Wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
Luke 4:1-2
Over the fall and the winter, Josiah has become enamored with watching football. He delights in clapping at the television saying go go or ohh ball or come on or throwing his hands in the air as he proclaims touchdown. I blame his father. What my 18 month old son does not realize is that it is all over. Yesterday, he kept looking toward the television and saying come on even though there was no football to be found.
We ended up turning on the television and watched downhill skiing. Apparently it was just as good because Josiah pulled out all his sports words with and proclaimed them with joy. As we were watching skiing, I remembered Picabo Street, a skier who famously named herself. As the boys watched sports, I began to wonder what I would have named myself. I am certain I would not have settled on Amy even though I can not imagine another name at this point.
What would you have named yourself?
As the text above begins, Jesus is entering the wilderness for a 40 day period of fasting and prayer. He contends with the devil - he contends with brokenness and evil and the inner voices which always seek to tear us down. But, he enters the desert still sopping wet with from the waters of baptism. A baptism where he was named by God, Beloved.
I imagine that knowing who he was, was strength for him in the desert. I imagine that his name, Beloved, rang in his ears again and again and again as he contented with the bareness found in a desert - literal and spiritual. The thing is, Beloved is not just God's name for Jesus. Beloved is God's name for you and me as well.
Whichever roads you may travel over the next few days and weeks, my prayer is this: that you may know that your name is Beloved.
Luke 4:1-2
Over the fall and the winter, Josiah has become enamored with watching football. He delights in clapping at the television saying go go or ohh ball or come on or throwing his hands in the air as he proclaims touchdown. I blame his father. What my 18 month old son does not realize is that it is all over. Yesterday, he kept looking toward the television and saying come on even though there was no football to be found.
We ended up turning on the television and watched downhill skiing. Apparently it was just as good because Josiah pulled out all his sports words with and proclaimed them with joy. As we were watching skiing, I remembered Picabo Street, a skier who famously named herself. As the boys watched sports, I began to wonder what I would have named myself. I am certain I would not have settled on Amy even though I can not imagine another name at this point.
What would you have named yourself?
As the text above begins, Jesus is entering the wilderness for a 40 day period of fasting and prayer. He contends with the devil - he contends with brokenness and evil and the inner voices which always seek to tear us down. But, he enters the desert still sopping wet with from the waters of baptism. A baptism where he was named by God, Beloved.
I imagine that knowing who he was, was strength for him in the desert. I imagine that his name, Beloved, rang in his ears again and again and again as he contented with the bareness found in a desert - literal and spiritual. The thing is, Beloved is not just God's name for Jesus. Beloved is God's name for you and me as well.
Whichever roads you may travel over the next few days and weeks, my prayer is this: that you may know that your name is Beloved.
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter
into the wilderness,
do not begin
without a blessing.
without hearing
who you are:
Beloved,
named by the One
who has traveled this path
before you.
without letting it echo
in your ears,
and if you find
it is hard
to let it into your heart,
do not despair.
That is what
this journey is for.
this blessing will free you
from danger,
from fear,
from hunger
or thirst,
from the scorching
of sun
or the fall
of the night.
that on this path
there will be help.
that on this way
there will be rest.
that you will know
the strange graces
that come to our aid
only on a road
such as this,
that fly to meet us
bearing comfort
and strength,
that come alongside us
for no other cause
than to lean themselves
toward our ear
and with their
curious insistence
whisper our name:
Beloved.
Beloved.
from Circle of Grace
Do not leave
Do not go
I cannot promise
But I can tell you
I can tell you
I can tell you
Beloved.
The Painting and Poem were created by the ever talented Jan Richardson.
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