FIRST: A WARNING!!
This falls under selfless promotion. Okay, so maybe not selfless promotion but advertisement. If you read my blog here and skip to the next to last paragraph, you saw me write about RoadID. They have recently come out with an ID called the SlimID, a perfect idea for children. I wear a FIXXID both on and off the bike, and I also wear a WristID on it. I am so sold on them that I ordered a gift card for my daughter in Knoxville; and this past Christmas ordered gift cards for my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Janna has just ordered his SlimID. I know it may sound like a commercial but with the stuff that happens these days, it does not hurt to have a little extra precaution. Click on the RoadID widget in my right margin to find out more.
NOW. FOR. THE. REAL. PART. OF. THIS. IDENTITY. POST.
Isaiah 43: 3-4 says, “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you.” Whenever I hear that word precious one of two things comes to mind: 1) Golem and the ring in Lord of the Rings; and 2) a woman saying something is “So precious.” Neither one conjures up welcome images. Know what I mean? However, if God uses the word, and says I am precious in His eyes, I reckon I ought to sit up and take note. Pop psychology would spout off some stuff about how you are valuable, you have intrinsic value, blah blah blah. But I don’t think that is what God has in mind. In truth, I have NOTHING to commend myself to God. What God says here is far better than I am valuable. He is saying I am valued-it is a choice God made to set His love upon me. I am valued so He chose me and made me His son. I am valued so He chose to be my Father. He chose to adopt me. To put it another way: my identity (there’s that word) does not come because I am worth it; my identity comes because God has chosen me…He gives my life value. I have nothing within me to brag about, or to say, “Hey God, You have to value me because I can (fill in blank).” Nope, doesn’t work that way. My value is based on what God has said and thinks about me. I didn’t earn it or deserve it: neither can I lose it or forfeit it.
PLAIN. AND. SIMPLE: MY. IDENTITY. IS. FOUND. IN. CHRIST. What about you? Are you relying on what others have thought or now think of you? Do you still struggle with man’s pleasure and approval of you for satisfaction? I would love to hear from you to help me “fill in the blanks” on this.
Hi Bill,
I sometimes struggle with what others think of me. I know what God thinks of me is more important and that is why I pray to God to help me to rely on what He thinks of me rather than man’s approval.
it is a struggle for many people Mercy. Knowing that gives you an edge in that you can pray and be aware of it. Trust what He thinks of you not man. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. It is really hard for me coming from a performance-based family, and years in performance-based churches to not have one ear and eye looking to the Lord, and one ear and eye on people. In those places, needing a rest is seldom considered a valid reason for taking a rest. You keep on going until you drop, then you get up and keep on going some more.
Another one of those speed bumps you talked about awhile back jumped up and slammed me on the forehead this week. I’ve not been feeling well, and not sleeping soundly most nights. I went to see my chiropractor on Thursday (first stop for health care) and she sent me on to the doctor with whom she works. My blood pressure was 180/110.
While I was getting out of the car at the doctor’s office, the mother of the student I have tutored, and had been asked to tutor another year called me. She said they no longer want me to tutor him. They think he’s not making enough progress. There are mitigating circumstances for the child, but I won’t put them out on a public forum.
So, health and income both went *poof* in a very short time period. I’ve already been struggling with PTSD, and this just wiped me out.
As I have been asking God what to do now, I just keep getting the sense that the answer is “nothing.” Nothing as in stop, drop, rest and listen for an undetermined length of time, and let Him heal me.
And my first reaction was, I can’t just stop doing x,y, and z. I’ll be letting people down. He did not add anything to that conversation.
Then the doctor, a child of God, told me (in different words) essentially the same thing. He also prescribed meds. I felt like it was a direct hit on my faith. Meds? Me? Yes. Meds for the bp, and meds for the anxiety. And a bp machine to keep track of things.
So, it was a hit. But I’m beginning to believe it was not enemy fire. God is trying to teach me some things I’ve never slowed down long enough to hear and learn. Now, I don’t really have a choice. Maybe that is a good thing.
WOW Susan! A double whammy. But as you have already surmised it may be a double whammy from the Father. There is no shame in taking meds (I take one for bp in spite of my exercise) and there is no shame in breaking from the performance mode. I will included you on my prayer list. Thanks for your openness.
I have always struggled with “election”. Lets flip it around and say God did not “choose” you. He loved Jacob…but hated Esau. I know we all deserve hell. I know He is gracious to save any of us. But I am asking you….what would you think of the One whom you serve, and love, if He did not graciously save you?
I just cannot grasp God.. in eternity past…electing His people…and “we” were not there to cast a vote. I guess it is not for me to know…unless you can explain it to me.
I too struggle with election Ike. By choosing I reckon I ought to be clear that I am not 100% saying God goes along and says, “I want you but I don’t want you.” I have so much to learn about that. I should be clear that my point is more that God has CHOSEN to love me in spite of my unloveliness and sin. As for picking and choosing, I am vague. I am sorry if I muddied the waters some…but I can’t explain it. Thanks for your thoughts.
Thanks pastor. That sure cleared things up:-)
Are you suggesting God loves me whether I do my homework or not? Whether I study for a test or play video games? Whether I love my wife or take her for granted? Is it really all the same to God? Are my efforts meaningless to him? Do my accomplishments not matter? Is this a God for losers?
Two things Jeff: Yes, I do believe God loves whether I do or don’t do those things but neither do I think He is a God for losers. Unconditional love loves in spite of. He wants obedience, no doubt, from us. But He doesn’t love us any less or any more if we are or are not. Feel free to comment back and I encourage others to join in the discussion.
I agree God loves winners and losers all the same. I also think that that how we feel about ourselves, our efforts. our diligence, our loyalty, our friendliness, our relationships,etc. matter a lot. Maybe they don’t matter to God in the love category but they matter. If God loves the slave owner the same as the slave then love isn’t all there is to worry about.
I totally agree with all you say except I have a question about that last statement. Can you clarify “then love isn’t all there is to worry about”? Thanks for coming back Jeff.
Identity.
I only rely on what God thinks of me and I am afraid it might not be good sometimes. I only hope I can win His heart and His love despite being a sinner.
It is good to rely on what God thinks of you Larry. But I believe you can go from “hope” to “trust” because of verses like Rom.5:8. You already won His heart.
Bill,
If anyone, who calls themselves a Christian, reads this post here and still thinks they “accepted Jesus”, I will be stunned stupid.
You nailed it, Bill. You really did.
Seeing how it is Truth that it is He who approached us with the New Covenant, and runs to the edge of His Kingdom daily looking for more people like us, and knocks on the doors of our hearts, and leaves the 99 to find the 1 that is lost…I mean, seriously….isn’t it OBVIOUS by now to anyone who reads this that we are indeed chosen?
Stop fighting it. Embrace it. Realize you are Kingdom and not just “church”.
Great great post, Bill! I can honestly say I am praying it will pierce the hearts of those who are wavering and unstable in their identities as Christians and will become as sons, once and for all, and be done with all that other foolishness.
Awesome, Bill!!
I like your picture of the Father running to the end of His kingdom daily looking for more people like us. The picture of Luke 15 and the loving Father is so vivid. It has taken me awhile to know my identity is in Christ and what means, so i do pray others can grasp it as well. Thanks for the kind words.
I don’t profess to being a good Christian. I have seen too many with a Holier than thou attitude to others that lacks love and that turns me off.
The Jewish people were also chosen in biblical times and look how many times they rose up and rebeled. Also look at their punishment.
No I don’t think I have a free pass into the kingdom just yet. No way would I assume I have been chosen. Not until it happens will I be sure. And only Jesus has that free pass that says to the left line or to the right line.
See…I disagree. We were never asked to be “good” Christians. One man’s “good” is another man’s “not good enough.” I believe any person who has come to Christ and crossed the line of faith has the certainty of eternal life. That is why I said “hope” can go to “trust.” I believe you can know you are going to heaven. That is not license to live any way you want, but it is a desire to follow and be a disciple. Thanks for coming back Larry.
Ok Back at you. In the bible Jesus healed a blind man. At the temple, Jesus caught up with him again to see how he faired. His last comment to the former blind man was “sin no more or something worse will happen to you”.
There fore, should we sin after being saved, there is a possibility of reprocussions if we fail to lead a good life. Being of the flesh, that is automatic sin as we do that naturally. We attempt to walk as Jesus but still again no one is perfect except Jesus. All we can do is do our best and hope that is good enough.
Considering we don’t get score cards, we can only assume we are saved and will be granted eternal life.
I think it would be presumptious to think we are automatically saved because we believe in God yet lead a life that contradicts our walk like Jesus.
That is the one thing that really irked me when I went to Catholic churches. We party like it was 1999 on Saturday then go to confession and ask for forgivenes and are forgiven by a pastor, not God. That is an ongoing cycle. Party then ask for forgivenes then party again and ask for forgiveness.
I am not trying to put any one or denomination down but it is something to ponder when we assume we get a free ticket no matter what if only we believe in God.
BTW. No I am not doubting God’s grace and love but when we put man’s thought process into the equation, things get a bit messed up. I am just saying.
Thanks for the come back Larry. We may be saying about the same thing but are looking at it differently. I don’t believe a person who is truly converted, one who has given his life to Christ, will willingly go out and sin knowing there is forgiveness. Will he sin? of course. I don’t believe there will be sinless perfection until heaven. But my desire is to be pleasing to the Father and that means I will choose to be obedient. Will I always be? No. but it is a matter of attitude. That is why I said that grace is not a license to sin. I know what you mean about the Catholic church. I dated a Roman Catholic girl my Sr. year in high school. Suffice it to say…we will stop it right there. 🙂 I don’t believe works saves a person before or after salvation but works will be a definite by-product of our relationship with Christ.
Hi Bill,
when the Israelites did not serve and honor God wholeheartedly and were unfaithful to him, he took his salvation gift and gave it to the Gentiles. The Bible says the gentiles were not even looking for it or asking for this salvation.
In my mind I’m wondering if God will do the same in our day. Is he going to take his gifts and give them to the ‘gentiles’ the unbelievers? They are not asking for these gifts from God in our day either. As Christians we’ve been taking things from God for granted. We haven’t valued them as we should. We haven’t even recognized them in some areas of our lives.
We serve a jealous God. He will have a people to worship him. If he doesn’t get this worship from us, he will get it from others. We see this example in the situation with the Pharisees and other sects in the time of Jesus. This is a very real possibility.
At the same time as David was set up his tabernacle of worship in Jerusalem the altar and tent at Shiloh was still functioning. Sacrifices were still being made and offered there.
In some ways I feel that we as christians think that God can do nothing without us. the Pharisees thought the same thing. God bypassed them and began a new covenant and a new people to worship him. The OT had Jesus too. So we are not secure because we have Jesus. Our walk counts, our conduct counts, our worship counts, our obedience counts. We are replaceable.
I don’t argue with what you have stated here Linda although some statements in that last paragraph I don’t totally agree with. What my conundrum is what you are saying related to my post. Help me out please! That is not a put down or a scolding but a sincere question. Thanks for commenting.
I guess what I am questioning Bill is ‘our identity is in Christ’ when a person’s interest in the things of God is almost nil.
First and formost we are called to be worshipers of God. We are told in the Bible that we go from ‘glory to glory’. In my mind this means that we are showing growth in our love for God and in our obedience to God.
There would be no doubt in my mind that this person is in Christ. Their identity is in Christ.
What about the person who categorizes their lives. Who is a type of person at work, who is another type of person at church, who is another person when they are at home etc. Is this person’s identity in Christ? Isn’t this person’s identity found in their surroundings? If there is low or no real interest in the things of God is this person’s identity in Christ?
These are my questions.
In the past it was for others. That’s just me being honest. Throughout HS I had low self esteem, though you’d never know it. It wasn’t until I experienced Him that, that changed.
No problem with being honest Michael. I can admit that same thing. For me, it also took on performance, i.e. be good, act good, etc and people will like you even more (until I got in higher grades). Glad God changed your thoughts. And glad you stopped by.
Great stuff Bill. Thought of you this weekend as I ran a roadrace and they had RoadID printed on the numbers. I have seen a major shift in my identity with others. It used to be what controlled almost everything about me. Now, because of God’s love and His gifts to me I am finding myself relying on Him and allowing the world to get what it gets from His love and peace in me. Thanks!
That was cool about the RoadID. I consider it an honor that you thought of me. Reckon I am getting the message out! Better by far is what you are now being and allowing the world to see. Thanks Tom for visiting.
I’ve always struggled with the approval of man (Gal 1:10). I am a people pleaser so I’ve often sacrificed my own identity and my relationships with loved ones to make sure “everything is cool” and no feelings get hurt. Within the last couple years, I’ve grown to learn to be confident in how God views me, what He says about me, and rest in that.
You are learning well my young friend. Love seeing the progress in a young man’s faith and identity as he becomes more secure in his faith. Thanks for the great thoughts.
Dustin,
Come hang out with me for a month or so. I’ll get that whole “people-pleasing” issue dealt with! 🙂 Kidding, kidding…
(Truth be told, Dustin is one of the few sons of God I have had the privilege of “meeting” online. He speaks without being whiny, and he makes observations about himself without being a martyr. I dig this about him.)
Knowing who you belong to is the greatest freedom there is…if we have said yes, I will follow, to Father God…we are His.
AMEN! Without a doubt Jay! Thanks for the great comment. Hope your Resurrection Sunday was a good one.
Been the one who relied on others in the past but I know God is who gives me all my value.
Been there also Jim. Just talking with someone Saturday about this very thing. hope and pray you had a great Resurrection weekend.
Identity is not something I struggle greatly with. I THINK I do a good job in being what God wants me to be even around others. Of course I mess up and sometimes want others to “like” me. But having the approval of others is not something I desperately need. I always TRY to make decisions of what GOD thinks of me. Great post Bill!
You seem to have a grip on things Joseph. One of the biggest downfalls of many is the approval trap. Thanks.
You nailed it, Bill.
Thanks Jason.