The feelings of guilt and rejection are exhausting. It takes a lot of energy to live a rejected life, to the degree that the expenditure of emotional energy spent fighting the fires of condemnation, worthlessness, and the fear of rejection and abandonment paralyze us from walking in faith, and enjoying the legendary love of our Bridegroom King. 32 times in the Song of Solomon the term “Beloved” is used in exchange between the Bide and Bridegroom. This is not a passive word, but instead the root of this word is “to boil.” Also 32 times in the Epistles of the New Testament we are referred to as the “Beloved.” It is often used as a title, as if that were our true identity, which of course it is. It would seem to me that life in the realm of being the Beloved of God should not be a life spent in crippling guilt and fear. Song of Solomon 7:10 says, “I am my Beloved’s and His desire is for me.” That doesn’t sound like someone who picked you out (chose you) to be His eternal companion, so He could entertain Himself by verbally abusing you mentally, and emotionally with condemnation and the threat of rejection and abandonment. Only someone inherently evil would do something like that. Jesus had His eyes wide open when He chose you and me, and was from the beginning prepared for our struggles, committed to free us and heal us (not abuse and hurt us) with His burning, and relentless love. Dare to let the truth set you free. Let these two verses sink deep into your heart from Ephesians 1:5-6 in the amplified version, “For He (The Father) foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ (and for Christ as His eternal Bride), in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]- [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” “In the Beloved;” that’s the realm you and I live in. The is no place for thoughts of worthlessness, crippling guilt, and the fear of abandonment there. More to come on this.