Called Beloved

Photo Credit: Moroccan Nomad

(By Rachel T Joyce)

How do you see yourself? How do you speak to yourself when you make mistakes or mess up?

How about the tone you use? Is it grace-filled or harsh?

Personally, I thought I was doing fairly well — not name-calling or deriding, but my daughter called me out on the tone I was using. “Mom! Listen to yourself. You don’t talk like that to us. Why are you doing that to yourself?”

I whispered a prayer of confession in my heart to my Lord and also apologized to my daughter for the example I was setting. “I’m sorry, Lord. Help me speak words of truth with grace and love.”

In the research I did for my message on 2 Peter for Woman to Woman, I was intrigued by a little word Peter used for the Christians: agapētos (ἀγαπητός). It means beloved, dear, favourite, worthy of love. It is a term of endearment, the word God used to describe His own Son.

When John baptized Jesus, the heavens tore open, God’s Spirit descended like a dove upon Jesus, and from heaven, the Father proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

My beloved Son.

Peter gives testimony to the Father’s words to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17).

And then he proceeds to use the same term to describe the ones who had trusted in Jesus, who were made righteous in Him, washed clean with the blood of the Lamb and adopted into God’s family:

• “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved” (2 Peter 3:1a). 

• “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved” (2 Peter 3:8a).

• “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent” (2 Peter 3:14a).

• “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care” (2 Peter 3:17a).

Because of Jesus, we are beloved. Because of Jesus, we are dear to God’s heart. Because of Jesus, we have been made worthy. Because of Jesus, we are beloved.

Do we live that way?

I have to confess…many times I do not. But I am changing. Little by little, God is transforming me and I know my true identity is beloved of the Father.

And that is how I want to live — as His dearly loved daughter who enjoys the delight of her Father. How about you?

Lord, help us to see ourselves as You see us. Help us to live in the light of Your presence with the awareness of Your favor upon us. Help us to radiate the joy and delight of belonging to You and being your beloved daughters.