The Daily: Thursday February 5, 2026

See what love Abba God has lavished on us
in letting us be called God’s children!
Yet that in fact is what we are.
1 John 3:1

Before Jesus performed a single miracle, before He taught a single parable, before He called a single disciple, something profound happened at His baptism. As He rose from the waters of the Jordan River, a voice from heaven declared, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' Notice the timing. This wasn't a reward for good behavior or recognition for achievement. This was an identity declaration that came before any action. Jesus was beloved not because of what He would do, but because of who He was.

This same truth applies to you. Before you're asked to be strong, before you're called to be courageous, before you're invited to step into uncertainty, you are first named beloved. This isn't something you earn through performance or lose through failure. It's the bedrock truth upon which everything else is built. When the Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness, it wasn't just about getting them out of Egypt - it was about getting Egypt out of them. They had to unlearn the slave mentality that said their worth was tied to their productivity. They had to discover that they were chosen and loved not because they were perfect, but because God's love is perfect. The same process happens in our lives. We spend years unlearning the messages that tell us we have to earn love, prove our worth, or perform for acceptance. The wilderness seasons of our lives often serve this purpose - stripping away the false foundations so we can discover the one true foundation: we are beloved. When you know you are beloved, everything changes. You don't have to prove yourself. You don't have to earn your place. You can face uncertainty with confidence because your identity isn't dependent on outcomes - it's rooted in unchanging love.

Reflection
What would change in your life if you truly believed, deep in your bones, that you are beloved by God regardless of your performance or achievements?

Prayer
Mother, Father, help me receive the truth that I am Your beloved child. Let this identity sink deeper than my fears, my failures, and my need to prove myself. Amen.