Depending on how we grew up and what we were taught,
Some of us may have less than loving images of God.
We may see God as stern or angry,
Or like a judge or a policeman.
Scripture tells us right at the beginning that God loves God's own creation.
Before anything else,
God creates out of love the plants and animals and humans,
And says all of it is good.
And God shares this good creation with humans as a gift.
Sit with that truth for a moment.
All is good.
All is a gift.
Sit for another moment in God's presence,
Imagining God look upon you with a loving gaze.
God,
You wish to be with me.
Before Jesus begins his public ministry,
He is baptized by John,
And as he emerges from the water,
God's Spirit descends on him like a dove,
And God says,
This is my beloved Son,
With whom I am well pleased.
Jesus represents all of humanity,
And so these words of God are offered to you as well.
Listen to these words from God spoken to you.
This is my beloved daughter.
This is my beloved Son,
With whom I am well pleased.
I am beloved.
Can I allow myself to be loved?
I may choose to repeat these words over and over.
Be loved.
Be loved.
Knowing that we are deeply loved by God can be so healing.
Fred Rogers tells us that there is no person in the whole world like you,
And you are liked just the way you are.
This may be hard for us to accept,
Especially when we've made mistakes,
Hurt others,
Or been hurt ourselves.
But God doesn't love us for what we will become.
God loves us for who we are.
This does not mean we don't grow as healthy and loving persons.
It simply means that we are loved as we are,
And there's nothing we can do to change that.
Sit in that truth.
God,
You love me.
Our purpose in this life is to grow into a deeper and more loving union of God.
And that means becoming more ourselves,
The person God made us to be,
More whole.
Even God loves me so much,
How might God be inviting me to be more a person of love?
Because,
If we wouldn't have been the common people,
I would be a common old man,
And In these final moments,
I speak with Jesus or God about what is stirring in my heart and I offer a word of gratitude or hope.
Perhaps I wish to imagine being embraced by this loving God.
In my thoughts,
I do hope that you have You
