Who Am I?

A recent trip to the mid-south region of the U.S. provided an amazing view of the country and a deep dive into the history of my family. Viewing the headstones of my ancestors was a profound and humbling endeavor. As I stood in the open fields where they planted and harvested crops, I was struck by the amount of energy and commitment it must have taken to provide for a large family. Reading the memoirs, ledgers, land deeds, and census records, it was clear they primarily identified themselves as farmers; simple people who built their homes and worked the land. They knew who they were.

I don’t always have such a clear-cut sense of who I am. I am consultant, musician, writer, and friend by title, but who am I when I feel insecure, unworthy, or afraid? As always, God reminds me who I am in His eyes.

• I am a child of God: I have received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I trust Him because His word is true. Jesus paid for my sins on the cross and I will live with Him for eternity because He provided salvation from my sins.
• I am redeemed through the blood of Jesus and my sins are forgiven: Jesus died for me. The enormity of that statement and the reality of it are beyond my comprehension. Jesus suffered the humiliation of the cross to pay for my sins. What incredible grace He has shown me!
• I am God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works: God created me and knew who I was long before I was born. In Christ, I am a new creation. This changes the way I live. I don’t do good works to impress people or earn “brownie points” as a reward. Any good I do comes from the transformation Christ made in my heart. Good works are the result of this transformation, rather than my feeble attempt to attain it.
• I am set free because Jesus has won the battle over sin: Although I struggle with the result of sins and issues in my past, I am thankful for God’s release from that slavery and His forgiveness. I am learning to forgive myself. My heart and soul yearn to know more of God’s truth, righteousness, and character.

My energy, commitment, and entire being belong to the Lord. I know who I am.

If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. – Romans 14:8 (NIV)