Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

 

In many cultures, the meaning of one’s name is a powerful part of identity.

 

Two sisters were given names that were quite different. One girl’s name meant “beloved.” The other girl’s name was not quite so flattering; it meant “the one who works hard.” You can imagine that one named for hard work was envious of her sister’s name that meant “beloved.”

 

Some of us feel like that little girl our whole lives. We work so hard, trying to earn love. In his book, Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen discusses how we are God’s beloved children right now. But embracing, realizing, and living as God’s beloved ones is a process. In that process, we gradually shed our fearfulness and competitive insecurities, finally resting in the love of God.

 

Nouwen said it this way: “The real “work” of prayer is to become silent and listen to the voice that says good things about me. To gently push aside and silence the many other voices…to trust that I will hear the voice of blessing– that demands real effort.”[1]

 

Psalm 23 reminds us just how tenacious God is in His pursuit of us, saying, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Today, draw near to God as you meditate on His love for you, His pursuit of you, and His desire to be with you forever. You are irreplaceable, cherished and celebrated for the essence of who you are.

 

He calls you beloved.

 

[1] Nouwen, Henri. The Way of the Heart: Connecting with God through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence. New York: Ballantine Books, 1981, p. 13