What does it mean to be God’s Beloved?
While writing my previous blog post, I looked up the link to Josh Wilson’s “Dream Small” song on YouTube. I left the app open while I inserted the link. The next song in the queue started playing, and once it hit the chorus, it took my attention away from my writing. I went back to YouTube, and started the song from the beginning–“I Am Your Beloved” by Bethel Music, featuring Jonathan David Helser and Melissa Helser.
The words seeped into my soul.
I shared the link on my Facebook page and also with my daily prayer partners. One of my friends has a connection with the people involved with that song.
The next morning, I listened to the song before I started reading my Bible. Sitting in my comfy leather chair with two silly dogs on my lap, I closed my eyes and allowed God’s Truth to speak into my heart.
As I listened, I felt as if God was asking what it meant to me to be His beloved. My eyes dampened, but tears aren’t unusual when I think about the love God has for me. In fact, one of my favorite hymns is “The Love of God,” especially this verse:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill,
and ev’ryone a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.
What does beloved mean?
Beloved is defined as dearly loved or even dear to the heart. Biblical beloved goes even deeper than that.
John 3:16 reads: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God loved the world…all mankind. Because of this love, He gave us his most precious treasure–His Son. His only Son. Those who choose to believe in Him—those who trust in Him to receive His love—will have eternal life. People in our lives who claim to love us may break our hearts and turn their backs on us. However, God’s love is unchanging.
Who is called His beloved?
With the death of Jesus on the cross, the veil was torn. We no longer need an intercessor to go to the Heavenly Father. Now, He is simply a prayer away. To be called His beloved, we need to be sons and daughters of God.
That means:
- accepting Him as the creator of all things.
- believing Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
- confessing those sins that stand between us and our Heavenly Father.
- declaring, “Jesus is Lord”
When we accept the gift of the cross—God’s gift of salvation—then Heaven rejoices. We enter His kingdom and become His beloved. He takes away our sin and our shame. He has written our names on His hands. And we will spend eternity in Heaven with Him.
When we accept the gift of the cross—God's gift of salvation—then Heaven rejoices. We enter His kingdom and become His beloved. #TellHisStory #salvation #Godsgift Click To TweetI wasn’t always His beloved.
I grew up in the church until I was about sixteen. Then tragedy struck my life. My grandma—my rock, my security—had passed away unexpectedly. I was so angry at God that I decided I didn’t need Him and turned my back on Him for a little more than a decade.
Then one cold Wednesday night during an ordinary prayer meeting at the church I had started attending, my pastor at the time had been preaching on family values. I wasn’t living them. As a wife and mother of two little boys, I needed a change. Because I was hurting those I loved most. More than that, I needed Jesus.
I believed the lies. I believed I wasn’t worthy. I believed He couldn’t love me.
But He could, and He does. He met me right where I was. Finally, I believed my Father’s love and mercy were greater than my shame. Through my sobs, I dropped to my knees and accepted the love of the One who knew me best. And I haven’t looked back.
That February marks my salvation anniversary. Now, for nearly half my life, He’s had my heart. He bought me with His blood. My name is written on His hand. I am His beloved. You can be too. God’s gift of salvation is yours only for the asking.
What Does it Mean to be God’s Beloved? #tellhisstory #faith #Christianliving Click To Tweet
A beautiful beginning! And it’s a hope God extends to every single reader of this post!
Thanks, Michele. I’m so glad God promises that hope to anyone who wants it.
What a beautiful testimony. I hope it brings hope and salvation and restoration to all who need its message. It was the law of God that convicted me I needed God, but it was the love of God that melted me and drew me.
Thank you, Barbara. I love what you said about needing God because of His laws, but it was His love that drew you in. Too many focus on the laws and forget about the love.
Amen! We are beloved—and believing God loves us and sees worth in us (despite all our messes and missteps) makes all the difference.
You’re absolutely right, Anita. Knowing God sees my worth helps me to keep moving forward.
How precious to know we are dear to the heart of Jesus! I love to just sit and fully soak in his love at some point each day.
Lisa, being dear to the heart of Jesus and sitting at His feet is the best place to be, isn’t it?
Thank you for this precious post, Lisa. I still struggle to view myself as God’s beloved. I share these words with others, encourage them, assure them, yet somehow though saved, I feel outside of that “special” relationship. Thank you for these reminders today!
Oh, Donna. You are so loved. Rebuke those lies and embrace the Truth He wants to speak into your heart. You became His beloved the moment you accepted His gift of salvation.
I am most grateful to be called “beloved” by our God. It is a humbling privilege and blessing each and every day.
“O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song”
Grateful His love will endure till the end of time and beyond!
I’m with you, Joanne–it’s a blessing and a humbling privilege. Measureless and strong are perfect adjectives for God’s love.
Thanks for introducing me to a new song. I love to hear how Jesus reaches us and calls us His.
You’re welcome, Debbie. I love listening to that song during my daily quiet time to help put my heart and thoughts in the right place.
No scroll could contain his love for us even if it stretched sky to sky. We are his beloved. Knowing this and remembering it is true, even when it doesn’t feel like we are his beloved, is so important.
Theresa, you’re right–even if we don’t feel it, it doesn’t negate the truth.
A beautiful testimony Lisa! 💕 Especially encouraging for those of us who have family members who aren’t walking with the Lord at the moment who once were. 🙏
Bless you,
Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer. Some of the ones I love most are missing out on that beautiful relationship with the Lord. It’s the prayer of my heart they accept His gift and become His beloved.
Today has been a bit of trial;
I write because I must,
but I’m knowing all the while
that the God in whom I trust
has not left me lost and bereft,
though cancer’s pain’s severe;
my thread in this life’s warp and weft
is something He holds dear,
and He is here with me now,
and dries the tears upon my cheek;
His cool hand soothes my fevered brow,
and although I grow weak
He’ll help me to continue on
that in joy I might sing His song.
Beautiful, Andrew. Simply beautiful. I’m so glad you’re able to maintain your focus on Him in the midst of your trials and pain.
I knew God, but until I knew Him as my Father, I didn’t grasp that I was His beloved. I still cannot wrap my mind or heart around the Big and Deep Love He has for us – but every day, every year, I realize more and more. What a beautiful, grace-filled love story you have! I love Redeemed Stories!
Maryleigh, redemption stories are my favorite too because they show us the beauty of second chances. I think you make a great point–the difference between knowing God and knowing Him as our Father makes a lasting impact on our hearts.
what joy to be called beloved by the Lover of our souls.
there is no greater joy.
Beautiful testimony, Lisa. Such a gentle invitation to receive Christ’s love personally. “The Love of God,” and particularly the part you quoted, is one of my favorite hymns too.
Praising God for HIs love for each of us. I too had a tragedy early on. My Daddy died at my age of 12. He was only 46. I was the firstborn and absolutely adored him. I went to church until I moved away from home during my college years. I wandered in until I had been divorced for 13 years when I met the man who was to be my second husband. Kenneth also introduced me to Jesus. Oh, what a divine appointment that was. I came here to connect to TellHisStory but I am on the wrong week for you. But I am not in the wrong place. Praising God to have read this post this morning.