I believe God is saying to me that I need to see the word “beloved,” especially in the New Testament, in a new way. Perhaps others need to see it too.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says in part: He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]…A
Many theologians explain this as a God-shaped hole in the soul of man that can only be filled by accepting the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins. What I am understanding is that when God creates that hole in the human soul, He mirrors it with one in His own heart. And only relationship with that specific person can fill His matching hole. That means only (insert your name) can fulfill the desire in God for relationship with you.
The understanding of how God can personally know each member of His creation is beyond me and, I suspect, beyond us all. His love for and knowledge of us is unlimited, a concept demonstrated throughout scripture but beyond our human minds. His greatness is beyond comprehension. I have decided to stop trying and just enjoy the relationship that He initiated.
In that regard, the word “beloved” as used by Paul to describe believers reveals a new meaning for me. I now see the word as “be loved” and it describes how God wants me to interact with Him. Just as wonderful earthly parents love their children, so God loves His creation, especially those who choose to be His sons and daughters. Paul called us “beloved” because God sees us as His loved ones. Let Him love you today and respond and fill that place in His heart that is yours and yours alone.
A(Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.)
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