Names of Jesus - Part 5 - Beloved Son and Elect of God
“Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.”
Matthew 12:18
Woohoo, this is the last week of 2020! Is anybody else celebrating that a new year is about to begin? We have high hopes for a better tomorrow. A year without Covid-19, racial distress, financial struggles, face masks, social distancing, cancelled trips, and school closures. We think if only we can get past this last week, all our problems will be gone. The grass will be greener next year. Good bye 2020, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those problems will not go away just because it is a new year. So, if they won’t go away that easily, what can we do to endure more adversity?
This is the last of my devotional series on the names of Jesus and boy oh boy has this been a delight to write. God chose a special human form to be His hands and feet here on earth. Jesus, God’s beloved Son who carried His Spirit, came to bring us hope, joy, love, and peace. Jesus gives us joy in knowing that this fallen world is not our home. Our home is in heaven with Him, where there is no hurt and disappointment. He brings us hope with the truth that He will come back with wrath and place judgement on the wicked in our world. Jesus brings us love by being the perfect example of how we are to love each other and by loving us so much that He died for us. He brings us peace through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. There is no other peace than the peace that God gives through His presence.
Jesus was God’s chosen and beloved Son and God knew we would need Him. He knew this world would be hard. He knew what 2020 would bring us and He equipped His people with tools to handle it. God was pleased with Jesus. Jesus persevered and stood firm in what God was asking Him to do, despite His hardships. Can we stand firm despite our hardships? We do not know what 2021 will bring us, but God knows. My friend, He has been getting you ready for a long time to endure whatever may come your way. Some days you may feel like you are a leaf blowing in the wind, but let me reassure you, you are stronger than you think. God gives you strength you cannot even fathom.
“Therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and dearly loved, put on affection, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12
You are chosen and dearly loved by God. You are God’s hands and feet. He is asking you to put on affection, compassion, kindness, gentleness, and patience. Until our Lord and Savior’s return, we are to strive to shine God’s characteristics in our daily lives. Let me name a few of these characteristics: faithfulness, goodness, graciousness, merciful, loving, patience, and perseverance. There is a quote by C.S. Lewis that says, “It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.” How we handle our adversity is important on how it affect us. We can allow our hardships to harden us or we can grow from them and let them soften us. I heard not long ago that the same water that hardens an egg also softens a carrot. If we carry God’s characteristics while we are living through adversity, we will be able to withstand the hardship.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
You have a seat at God’s table for this New Year’s celebration. Just as He equipped Jesus by putting His Spirit in Him, He has equipped you. God equips us to survive the struggles in this world and through His equipping, we are able to go out and spread His gospel. Let’s decide right now how we are going to be in 2021. We are not going to let the world bring us down. We are not going to let racial distress be a part of our families. We are going to show love to all God’s children. We will not doubt that God is working in our lives, even when we don’t understand. We are not going to live in fear of what this world may bring us because we know where our true home is. We will not rely on worldly possessions because our hope is in the goodness of God.
My friend, 2020 has brought a new perspective to us. We have seen what is important. All the things in life that we thought we could not live without, we have seen that we can (ok, maybe not toilet paper). We have made changes and we have adjusted. God has provided all of our needs. It might have been tough but He did provide, and He will always provide. Trust in the One who knows what tomorrow brings. His plans are always greater than our understanding. God loves you. Continuously tell yourself this, no matter your circumstances. Happy New Year!!
Digging Deeper:
What do you want to see change in 2021?
What can you do to help that change be possible?
How can you rely on Jesus to give you strength to endure the hardships that come in 2021?