I am currently living in Switzerland for approximately 3 months while my husband and I have the joy of welcoming another beautiful grandchild. She is our third grand—a sweet baby girl, who has two proud older brothers and a happy but tired Mama and Papa. Our daughter married a wonderful Swiss man and so we have had the privilege of making this journey frequently.
Leaving Uruguay, where we live full time, and coming to Switzerland is always a cultural transition. The seasons are opposites, this trip we left Autumn and arrived in Spring. The language changes, (Switzerland has 4 national languages, and unfortunately we’re not fluent in any.) The food is gloriously delicious and very expensive, and also my role is different—I am not functioning as a missionary, but focused on being a mother and grandmother.
Recently I have been listening to the Holy Spirit speak to me more about my identity, and how it flows from Him. It is an eternal identity and is not based on what I am doing or where I am living. Unlike my fluctuating life, it is constant and permanent.
He has told me that I am a “beloved lover”. I am beloved beyond my wildest imagining, and I am created to find my highest calling and joy in loving Him and others. That is my eternal destiny, which is both now and forever.
He has been patiently raising my awareness when I attempt to find my identity anywhere else besides in Him. I’ve noticed that when I try to live from identities, such as wife, mother, grandmother, or missionary, I tend to look to those whom I have attached my identity to for validation or security.
This doesn’t bear good fruit in my heart. My husband, children, grandchildren and spiritual children are tremendous gifts, but if my identity becomes dependent on their responses, good or bad, I am headed towards living upon an unstable and wavering foundation.
I love being a wife, mother, grandmother and missionary, but I can say with confidence that they are not my highest calling. My highest calling is loving God, receiving His love and loving others like He loves me. It feels really good to keep returning to the rock solid foundation of being His beloved lover.
There is a similar pattern in Jesus’ life. Scripture records his Father calling him his beloved Son at his baptism and transfiguration, and I believe when he drew away to be with His Father, or just gazed at Him to see what He was doing, there were countless other intimate exchanges between them.
Walking in His belovedness, filled with the Spirit, and gazing at His Abba, Jesus healed, spoke truth, forgave, brought deliverance and helped us to see His Father. Then through His death and resurrection He restored us to communion and union with the Father, by His Spirit living in us.
Now, because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we too have the capacity to receive our belovedness through intimate exchanges with Him. He is such a lover and desires to lavish that love on us and have us reciprocate our love back to Him. When we are full and abiding in His love, we too can go forth and let His love overflow to others. It’s beautifully simple and brings deep joy.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:9-12
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 23:36-39
Cathy Stallings
Comments