What Name Does God Call You?

 

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.'" Matthew 3:16, 17

When you identify yourself in Jesus’ place at His baptism the heavens open to you and God’s love floods down to you. This is the heart of prayer, according to Henri Nouwen. In Spiritual Direction, he defines prayer as listening to the voice of God that calls you the Beloved (p. 34).

What the Father says to Jesus at His baptism He says to you: "You are my beloved daughter and I delight in you." "You are my beloved son and I am pleased with you." (Matt. 3:17 paraphrased)

Jesus listened to his Father’s affirmation and He kept going back by praying in solitude (Luke 5:16). For instance, after being persecuted and threatened by a crowd He withdrew to the site of His baptism at the Jordan river and re-immersed Himself in his experience as the Beloved of the Father (John 10:40).

We need to keep going back to our First Love to wash away the judgments and shame that threaten us. We need to strengthen our core identity as coheirs with Christ Jesus.

This is especially true for us who are helpers. If we’re not very careful our service for God will erode our intimacy with God.

A healthy soul that can sustain a thriving ministry begins with listening to God in prayer.

"Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved," Nouwen writes, "you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that voice longer and more deeply. It is like discovering a well in the desert. Once you have touched fertile ground, you want to dig deeper. This digging and searching for an underground stream is the discipline of prayer" (p. 34).

The Beloved Prayer helps us drink in the soul-nourishing waters:

  • Jesus, you are the Beloved

  • Jesus, I am the Beloved

  • Jesus, we are the Beloved (p. 36)


Let’s take a minute or two to pray now:

  • Set your affections on Jesus as you praise Him over and over, "Jesus, You are the Beloved…"

  • Drink in God’s favor as you repeat, "Jesus, I am the Beloved…"

  • Pray for people who come to mind, "Jesus, ________ is the Beloved…"


AMEN.

(adapted from our friends at SoulShepherding.com)

 
Judy Nelson Lewis