If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 NRSV.

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39.

I loved this this morning from You Are the Beloved, by Henri Nouwen: “Am I afraid to die? I am every time I let myself be seduced by the noisy voices of my world telling me that my “little life” is all I have and advising me to cling to it with all my might. But when I let those voices move to the background of my life and listen to that small soft voice calling me the Beloved, I know that there is nothing to fear and that dying is the greatest act of love, the act that leads me into the eternal embrace of my God whose love is everlasting. Life of the Beloved.“

I love that when we come to the final chapter of Song of Songs 8, She says, Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned. v. 6-7.

The love a man and a woman share through a lifetime changes and grows and endures through every hardship and joy. It changes us. We welcome its strength and endurance. We welcome the changes it brings in us. And we know that love is enduring because we have been held safe within its embrace. We know our beloved and our beloved knows us. And overarching all of that is the love of Creator God – Father…Son…Spirit. He is love. He is faithful. He welcomes us into His loving arms now and into eternity and we are held safe within His loving embrace. Thank You, Lord, for so great a love. You are a God of love. Thank you for the love of family that shows us how to love. Thank You for showing us that Your love never ends and we are each of us held safe in You. Thank You that You call us Beloved. We are Yours, Lord. Thank You.