A Christian Blush
"To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and
from the Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 1:7
"Our church is so small," said one elderly widow to a friend, "that when our pastor says, ‘Dearly beloved...' I blush." The church in the first few centuries, and segments of the church thereafter, referred to each other in endearing terms such as "brother" and "sister". They sometimes greeted each other with a "holy kiss", embracing in a show of their Christian love. They were encouraged in this by their pastors who reminded them that they were the family of God. Pastors often greeted their congregations with the words, "Dearly beloved".
Indeed, to God, we are "dearly beloved". So dearly does he love us that He,
"...gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
This is love, unabashed and sacrificial - it is dear. Frankly, it is the kind of love that can "get out of hand" if you are not careful. It can end up making a public display that could flush your face. It could be embarrassing! Wonderful! God loves you more than you can possibly know and He's not afraid to show it. Go ahead and blush. He's talking about you.