And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
Our women’s small group has been studying this scripture for the better part of 2015. Yes, the same Scripture for a whole year. Each time we met, we shared with each other how God had revealed himself to us since the time we last met.
Some questions we pondered were:
What does being God’s Beloved mean?
When have you felt most/least Beloved in the past week and why?
What are some times in the coming week you may need to be reminded of God’s love for you?
Who has helped remind you that you are God’s Beloved?
How have you been God’s Beloved or shared that love with others?
How has your identity as God’s Beloved shaped your other relationships or responsibilities?
We really loved the simplicity of studying a single verse each week. We didn’t have to read a chapter in a book or prepare for anything. We just came together and talked about how God was at work through the awareness of scripture in our daily life. Henri Nouwen’s Life of the Beloved was a steady resource, as well as Pinterest boards, art, AwesomeSoxx and more.
As we journeyed through the year, each of us encountered God in different ways and at different paces. It was beautiful to witness the the blooming of each bud in its own time. Sometimes we heard stories of Beloved interactions. Other times, we spoke words of Belovedness to each other as we shared in struggles. Here are a few words from several of our sisters on the impact of our study in their lives…
For me, finding Beloved moments in the ordinary details of my daily routine gave me reason to pause and be grateful for everything and everyone God puts before me. Situations and people can be challenging, but we are all (including those who cause us pain) Beloved children of God. Reciting that word during moments of hardship put things in a more peaceful perspective. ~Kari Ann Elling
Many of us come from religious traditions that value sacrifice and martyrdom over all. We focus on our sinfulness and our need for redemption. But what if we focus on our beloved-ness instead? What if we lived most fully in who God created us to be? This past year I released the mantra of "unworthiness" and embraced "beloved-ness" and it has made all the difference: a new career, renewed joy, and a new way of seeing others as beloved, too. ~Deanna Neidlinger
With a single scripture weaving its way through our lives, I found myself craving the next time we met to hear how God was at work in each of us. I watched and waited as others discovered their life as a Beloved child of God. I wanted that too, but it took longer to discover for myself. I realized we don’t suddenly arrive at our identity as God’s Beloved, but continue to discover it daily. If I am still realizing God’s love for me when I am old and gray, praise be to God! ~Annie Lambert
Here’s what I appreciated about this practice in our women’s group: it was simple, yet led to profound conversations. It started as an inward experience of being Beloved, and turned outward, as a reminder that everyone else (even the prickly ones) are Beloved, too. I think our conversations were full with stories about our lives and our moments of Belovedness, which was more rich and rewarding than the run-down of life happenings that often become the topic of conversation. I think it also brought us closer together, and for that, I’m grateful! ~Momo Pulliam
As our year comes full circle to the baptism of Jesus, we hear the Scripture again. This time, with new perspective, depth and joy. I pray each year when we visit this liturgy, we will be reminded of our “Beloved Year”, claiming even stronger our identity as God’s own. And looking forward to how God will continue to reveal more of His love for us in the year ahead.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
Annie Lambert, the author of this reflection, and her family are part of a small group that has been meeting for seven years. In that time the group has seen marriages, children born, jobs changed, etc. The community group has adapted and keeps working. As a function of their larger community group, the women of the group get together and meet separately as a support group for one another.