Knowing Yourself as Deeply Loved

the title says it all. Knowing yourself as deeply loved by God.

How do we know ourselves? Identity is who we experience ourselves to be. We should know ourselves as deeply loved and valued by God. Why are we loved and valued? Just because. Because God is love. Because it is His will to love us. Who are we? We are deeply loved by God. We belong. We belong to Him. We have a home. We have a Father. We are loved. We are deeply loved. We are loved. We are loved.

John Calvin: "There is no deep knowing of God without a deep knowing of self and no deep knowing of self without a deep knowing of God."

That makes sense, because if we really know God, we will know ourselves since we are created in His image. And if we really know ourselves, we know God, because He is in us; we are His and He made us. We cannot know our real self apart from Him; we cannot exist without Him.

St. Augustine's prayer: "Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee."

Know yourself as deeply loved by God.

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Favorite quote of the day/week/

"We cannot attain the presence of God. We're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness" ~Richard Rohr

Awareness. Often the power of worship is that we experience God through being aware that He is there. That He is here. And that He is wonderful. God is here. His presence is here. Even as you read this and as I write this. There is nothing more powerful than His presence, than Him. But every moment of the day, not just in worship we can be aware that He is here. Prayer. Meditation. We must be aware that God is with us even in temptation, even in doubt, even in despair. In every hardship. In every boring day. In dreams. In trials.

He is not an imaginary friend. He is powerful. He is real. He can heal you; He knows you.

How can I keep from singing your praise

How can I ever say enough, how amazing is your love.

How can I keep from shouting your name?

I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing.

I can sing in the troubled times, sing when I win

I can sing when I lose my step and fall down again

I can sing when you pick me up, sing cause you're there

I can sing cause you hear me Lord, when I call to you in prayer

I can sing with my last breath, sing for I know

That I'll sing with the angels and saints around the throne

[repeat forever]