Day 2

Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love. 
- Ephesians 1:4a The Message

Hmmm... Humans as a unique focus of God's love.

It is popular in the Christian church to talk about our favored role in all creation (i.e., we are the crown jewel of all creation). This usually rubs me wrong, because I find so much of God in animals, in plants (especially trees) in the earth itself. I think - "So God doesn't love trees as much as me?" And technically speaking, I think the answer to this question implied in these verses would be "No."

But I don't know if that is exactly what those verses are saying. I keep rolling over the idea that there is something unique about humans and their relationship to God's love. We are special, different in our relationship to it. I want to say those verses tell us something about our fundamental purpose in the role of creation in it's entirety; specifically that love is at the core of our (people's) purpose. Basically that at our core we were created to be love and to love. Like the stars might be said to be the focus of God's majesty and power, or water is the focus of his immutability and transformation. Though loved (for He cannot help but love, but is love), their purpose is to reflect other attributes of the Divine nature.


Thus, humans are uniquely about love.


I think this fits well with everything I know (both as a person and professional  about the human condition and make-up. As one of my new favorite speakers says "Everything that social sciences suggest is that we are made for connection (love)." This is supported by behavioral psychology which suggests that affection (love) is THE primary reinforcer. Or what social psychologists have explained about torture; specifically that social isolation is the worst form of torture (blocking love). It also fits with the sea of clients who I've seen that are deeply searching for unconditional love. Love not available in their marriage, their friends, their parents. They ache for it. Deeply ache for it. What are they looking for?


We were born to love and be loved. This fits for me.


"Why did Go do all this? Why did he bother to go to all the trouble of creating a universe for us? Because he is a God of love. This kind of love is difficult to fathom, but it's fundamentally reliable. You were created as a special object of God's love! God made you so he could love you. This is a truth to build your life on."

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"Love is the essence of God's character."

Question to Consider: I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my personality, background and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?


Well... my body. I think after a great number of years I have finally made peace with my butt. It is larger than I want it to be. Always has been. But I figured out that God knew I would be sitting a lot as a therapist and I needed something squishy to make it more comfortable. But I am still unhappy with my weight. Sometimes my face. I want to be a supermodel. I want to be ... I don't know ... everything beautiful, nothing ugly.

I also struggle with my anxiety. The pain of rejections I've felt throughout my life (i.e., Why couldn't you 'like me back' Mikey?; Why couldn't you quit blaming me Katie?). The idea that my thoughts, my actions, my needs do not dictate the motions of the earth (i.e., that perhaps the reason people I love hurt me, most often has nothing to do with me).

Dear Lord, Help me accept me, accept my life, accept that I am Your handiwork. Help me to accept that You can be found in my pain and my healing. Better yet, help me to love me. Help me to see me as You see me; not the master of the universe but a precious child. Not a pile of flawed make-up, extra weight and loneliness, but a warrior of honor called to fight for love, peace, faith, hope and justice. Help me tune in to the Truth that at once I am both small (a wisp, a vapor) and big (a mother, a legacy creator, a point of light); bad and good; broken and healed; lost and redeemed. May Your kingdom reign in my life more and more; where I am more righteous, more whole, more love - keep Your promise that I will move from Glory to Glory forever. Amen.