Tattoo wisdom

I never thought I'd get a tattoo,  but then one day I had a beautiful vision of what I wanted to be reminded of daily. It took several months to get my design worked out because I wanted it to speak to me, no matter what journey life was taking me on. I love the final product.  Here are the lessons of my tattoo. 

Be.  

Be Love. 

Be Loved.

Beloved.

BE - We are called to be still so that we might know God.  Stillness and calm are food for my soul, however, they are not natural rhythms for me.  I must practice relaxing and being still.  It is hard for me to just BE.  Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10 

Be Love -  This is what I am called to do - be love to my neighbors - be the hands and feet of Christ. I need daily reminder because it is easy to be distracted. I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.  John 13:34 

Be Loved - God wants to pour his extravagant love over his children.  We are meant to be loved by him. God, your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure. Deuteronomy 7:6b MSG

Beloved - this is the name God has chosen to call me. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine  Song of Solomon 6:3a

And all of this is possible because of the cross. This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. 1 Peter 2:21‭-‬25 MSG