Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

The author’s spiritual director told Manning to define himself radically as one beloved by God.  God’s love for each of us constitutes our worth. We need to accept that and let it become the most important thing in our lives.  The basis of our personal worth is not in possessions, our talents, the esteem of others, our reputation, or the applause of everyone telling us how important we are… we are anchored in God before whom we stand naked. And He says to us, “You are my beloved one.”  Our false self draws identity from past achievements and adulation of others, but the true self claims identity in being His beloved.  Let us encounter God in our ordinariness of life and at the core of our existence. If we draw life and meaning from any other source than this, we are not spiritually alive. May we hear His whisper to our ears that we matter to Him for He loves us just as we are.