Beloved of God: A Blessed Identity

 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:7

We are among the addressees of Paul's letter. The letter is addressed to the beloved of God. The happy bearers of this title are saved by the grace of God, cleansed by the blood of Christ, sanctified by His Word, and renewed by His Spirit. They are free; they are free from sin.
They are safe; they dwell in the most secure hiding place, under the shadow of the Most High. They are a privileged people, for them is prepared that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has not entered into the heart of man. The Almighty, the Omniscient, the Most Holy thinks about them.
They are a people bought at a great price, and no one can snatch them from the hand of God. They are a forgiven people. God revealed to them what He had hidden from the wise and prudent. They have the peace that surpasses all understanding; they have the joy that endures. They have an inheritance reserved for them in heaven; they will receive the victor's crown, and they will live with Him forever.
Beloved of God...
Thank you, Lord, for this blessed title, for this privilege. 

From my diary,

October 14, 2024