To be....

My favorite way to end a worship service is with this benediction:

Beloved

Be loved

Be love

Be

In the name of the Holy One who is called “I am”

The first four lines were inspired by a song.  But as I prayed over it – I decided to conclude it with:  In the name of the Holy One who is called “I am’.

‘Being’ and ‘I am’ – reminded me of this scripture story from the book of Exodus, chapter 3 – where we hear God named “I am”.

3 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb,^[a] the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” ⁴ When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵ Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God….

¹³ But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”^[b] He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” ¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,^[c] the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever,  and this my title for all generations.

‘I Am’, is the name of the Jewish and Christian monotheistic God.

‘Be’, is what we humans have been called to do since the Garden of Eden – just ‘be’.

As we enter the liminal space between the end of autumn (Sept 21) and the beginning of winter (Dec. 21), the leaves turn their vibrant colors and begin to fall.  We harvest our vegetable gardens and turn our pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns and maybe take them one step further and make them into pumpkin pie.  It’s a time to slow down and reflect; in other words; to be. 

In our time of ‘being’ – a time of reflection and rest in the Holy One - I think one helpful focus is to remember we are beloved. 

Can you recite “I am beloved” slowly as you breathe?  I encourage you to practice this prayer for several minutes.  Set a timer if you can so you can just focus on being beloved.  Maybe no one has ever said that to you, but I hope as you embrace this simple practice that your being loved and beloved will sink into your being and become something deeply known in your heart of hearts.  Imagine it is the Holy One who is love affirming your belovedness. 

I pray this brings warmth to your soul and healing to your life. 

With grace and love,  Kim B2 

P.S.  I find it interesting (and maybe for another post) that in the New Testament scriptures, Jesus described himself with ‘I Am’ sayings: 

          “I Am” the bread of life.

          “I Am” the good shepherd.

          “I Am” the light of the world.

          “I Am” the door.

          “I Am” the true vine.

          “I Am” the way and the truth and the life.

          “I Am” the resurrection and the life.