February 5, 2019
In
Spiritual Reflections
Beloved
One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from the Song of Songs:
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”
This is a declaration of love, but even more importantly, it is an avowal of one’s identity as belonging to God.
Jogging the tree-embraced paths at Percy Warner this past week, I found myself praying, “I am Yours. You are mine. I am Yours. You are mine.” Sometimes when caught in the whirl of life, I have to remember who I am and to Whom I belong. And then try again to live from this beautiful truth.
Whatever happens in my life, whatever I lose or gain, however deep and wide, precious and painful the human experience, however many number of breaths I have accrued or remain for me in The Book of Life, I am both verb and noun, be-loved and a beloved.
This past Christmas, my friend Elizabeth and her family joined my crew around my kitchen T.V. for an unprecedented “Face Time” Christmas service with this extraordinary collection of boys, of all ages, living at the Danita’s Children orphanage in Haiti. We went around the room and introduced ourselves by name and then commenced a medley of Christmas carols, some in English, some in Creole. The energy was electric, holy. But we were not prepared for the final gift, a moving prayer by Daupholy, a thirteen-year old boy with a mile-long smile. It was so clear that he knew, despite his orphan status, that he was a child of God, a beloved of the Beloved.
Daupholy’s benediction called to mind God’s introduction of Jesus to the world: “This is My Beloved Son, with whom my soul is well-pleased.” (Gospel of Matthew). I imagine this is exactly how God would introduce me to you and you to me.
Faith in praxis requires a disciplined remembering that, bone, blood and spirit, broken and whole, I am the beloved of the Beloved. Loved tender, beyond time, boundary, or my deserving. It is because of this extraordinary love that I know how to love from my soul and skin in this world.
Inspired by the words of Deuteronomy 11:8, “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand,” I created a “remember bracelet” with the word, beloved, engraved in a smooth piece of leather. I loved mine so much that for Valentine’s, I created them for others. Maybe you too would love a token of remembrance? All the proceeds from every sale will go to https://danitaschildren.org.
Live in Hope,
Farrell
Beloved Bracelet
The beloved bracelet is made of 100 % veg tan leather, engraved and hand-dyed. You can wear it rain or shine. If it gets dry, rub coconut oil on it. Each is hand-made by the artisan, SXS Leather. Proceeds will go to Danita’s Children, Haiti. Click on link to purchase.
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Read and Reflect on the Archbishop Desmund Tutu’s Blessing:
Dear Child of God,
You are loved with a love that nothing can shake,
A love that loved you long before you were created.
A love that will be there long after everything has disappeared.
And God wants you to be like God.
Filled with life, goodness, laughter…and joy.
Amen.
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