This is a guest post from Klara Girgis – a proud member of St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox church a in Vienna, Austria who has guest posted before. In today's post, Klara uses her own experience with her twin sister to share a beautiful meditation on what it means to be "one of" God's special children. If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.
Having a twin sister, for many people I am “one out of two”, sometimes I am “the other one”, but often just “one of the twins”. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, but it’s also human of me to wish to be seen as the one independent person I am and to be loved as such.
Now I realized that many people feel the same way. We feel like we’re just “one of …”. We feel like we’re just “one of the church-goers”, “one in the group”. Some people feel like they’re only “the brother of …”, “the mother of …”, “the friend of …”. We often feel like we’re just “one out of many” and this hurts, because when we love in a special way, we want to be loved back in a special way too.
Now for the good news.
To God, you NEVER WERE and you’ll NEVER BE just “one of …”. This is probably one of the most important realizations you will ever make. But how do you want to realize this intimate fact about your relationship to the savior if you stay at the surface?
If there's one thing that you should never forget after reading this post, it's this: the sincere love of God is experienced when you focus on the details.
Friends, we stay on the surface and we don’t pray with a sincere heart, that’s why we feel cold and not loved by God. Moreover we don’t like hearing anything about struggle in the spiritual life to begin with.
Have you, for example, ever thought about these verses, “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.“ (John 10:22,23)
Doesn’t seem really spectacular, right? But did you know that Solomon’s porch was like a shelter that protects from the rough winds? Which basically means that Jesus was walking there, because He was COLD. Yes, the creator of the universe found shelter in Solomon’s porch. Why? Because He loves so much and never wanted anyone to feel alone with their struggle.
Do you realize how we could enjoy God’s love for us and His presence in our lives on a whole new level if we just left the surface and drove into the deep? He asked Peter to “launch out into the deep” before and He is asking you to do the same today (see Fr. Anthony’s post in 2013 “It’s Time to Launch Out into the Deep”).
Realize that you are HIS favourite and that He loves you in a very very special way. Realize that it’s all about the details and that you’ll not be able to experience this fact of Him loving you so dearly if you stay on the surface. And yes, with God being unlimited, every single one of us is His favourite. What would a parent say, if you asked about their favourite? They’d say, “They’re all so different, but I love them all in a very special way. Each one individually.” How couldn’t it be the same with the heavenly father, who give so much more care, love and attention?
This realization has the potential to change your life, if you let Him do His life-changing work for your life. Realizing that you’re God’s favourite can definitely turn your life upside down.
1. You won’t need anyone’s approval anymore, because you'll know that you’re extremely loved by THE ONE.
2. You will be freed from any fears because you'll know that you’re HIS DEAREST son/daughter.
3. Nothing will break you ever again. You’ll be able to sing with David, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer” (2.Samuel 22:2) as you always come back to the lover of your soul.
4. You will always think about heaven, remembering that there’s so much more to this life as Jesus is the one you’re always lifting your eyes to. (“A Foretaste of Heaven”)
5. Your way of praying will change as you are much more honest with Him and thinking about Him all the time, knowing that He’s always there.
Don’t forget that it’s a process and that God has ways of salvation. Your friend may find God in his readings, your sister finds Him in the stories of the saints, you find Him in praises, I find Him in contemplating about nature. Don’t compare your fight to others. Fight yours, find the activities that help you launch into the deep.
I pray that we all may find our way to Him and that we promise ourselves one thing that once we find Him, after searching for Him with our whole hearts, don’t we ever let Him go.
Question to consider: how often do you feel that you are God's favourite and that He's treating you in a special way?