Who am I? That has been my life’s question. What is my identity? Am I Kenneth and Peggy’s daughter or Rowdy’s sister? Am I Donnie’s wife? Am I Micaela and JD’s mom? Can any of these titles really define who I am? Can they fill the void in my soul that aches to understand why I am here? I can say I have tried to make them fill that void and failed. So where is the answer to the question of my life? I see it in John chapter 7 in the way Christ shows who He is.
Here it is sometime in September or October and Jesus is with his brothers discussing The Feast of the Tabernacles that was about to happen sometime in October. Now the word does not say that Jesus and his brothers were discussing that fact that people wanted to kill him, Jesus did mention it, but rather the main topic was that his brothers believed he should go public at this feast that this should be his time to become a public figure. However, Jesus said this is not my time and I will not go yet. He did go but later and He went quietly not to make a statement about whom he was but to let those know whose he was and where he came from.
He
was secure in his identity. He knew he was the son of the Most High
God and he did not allow men, even his own brothers to move him
before his time. Oh, how I wish I was that secure and patient. There
have been so many times that I stepped out before God and then messed
up things. God’s timing is perfect.
So
how do I find my identity from this passage? I see it in
understanding more about Christ and who he chose to listen to when
the voices were loud. He chose to hear His Father over the voices
speaking questions and cuts. He listened to his Father and chose to
receive what the Lord spoke into Him.
I
have been the girl who chose for so many years to listen to the
negative chatter and even thought it was truth. I have believed my
value was less than what God says it is because of pride. I heard
someone say that low self esteem is a form of pride. I did not
understand that until God dealt with me on this very issue. I was so
focused on me that I could not focus on God and his calling on my
life. The “I” focus is the pride. It is all about me whether
negative or positive. I still land there from time to time and God
still deals with my heart on the matter but I praying that it is less
often than it used to be in my life. What changed? I had to change
and it required more of God and less of me. It required trading out
some things I liked so I could have more room for Him in my life. I
am an auditory learner. So what I hear has major affects on me and
my life. I knew God asked me to exchange secular music for music
with Christian lyrics and themes. I submitted by resetting my radio
stations at home and in my car. It really was a small change because
I was not in my car that much and was not listening to my stereo that
often at home. However that small change gave God room in my life
where He could speak over me and into me. It became His time and we
talked there.
I
have learned through the years since then that I need His word to
battle the lies that are spoken to me and over me. I need to
remember that He gave it all that I could be called “Child of the
One True King”. I am redeemed. So for me John 7 shows Jesus
resting in His true identity, being bold in His true identity, and
revealing His true identity to those around even when others wanted
something else. I want to be defined by God and not by man even when
men will not receive what God has revealed to me in His word.
Peace of Christ to you,
Posts
There are two things in the chapter that really jumped out at me. The first is in the verses 12-13, "There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, 'He's a good man,' but others said, 'He's nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.' But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders."
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be quite relevant today. It seems that Christians are trying to always say the 'right' thing. And often times listening to the grumblings of those around us that are not believers in our TRUE God! Then that seems to thwart our resolve to speak the truth and speak favorably about Christ, because we are too worried what people will think about us or possibly getting in trouble. Maybe we're worried we don't know enough to answer any questions that they have or the correct answers to an argument. Maybe we've allowed ourselves to become too politically correct. I pray that we will all have the boldness and courage to always speak the truth about Christ, no matter the situation, comfortable or uncomfortable. I don't feel that we can worry about offending people. Not to say that you should TRY to or not even consider that what comes out of your mouth possibly could. I just believe that if we speak the truth of Christ through the LOVE of Christ then much can be accomplished. This is something that God has definitely been laying on my heart for some time. I'm the kind of person who wants to be everyone's friend and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that. Yet if I truly care about my friends then I would speak the truth to them in the hopes that they would come to know Christ and have a bountiful relationship with Him! Let us have the courage to speak favorably about Jesus Christ, our Savior!
The next part that jumped out at me is in verse 39. The verse surrounded by parenthesis! "(When he said "living water" he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered his glory)".
I just love the anticipation of the Holy Spirit! Believers had no idea what was in store for them, and how blessed they would be having the Holy Spirit! Can you imagine getting to experience the physical presence of Jesus Christ and then receiving the Holy Spirit all in the same lifetime here on earth?!?! Unimaginable to me! Then in that same verse it talks about Jesus entering his glory! How beautiful his glory must be! His glory is another unimaginable thing! Our brains can't even fathom it! The greatest blessing that we have is that we have been given the opportunity to enter into this glory after this earthly death! That's pretty much the most exciting thing you could ever tell me! Have a great day everyone!
Wow! Thanks so much, Twila, so enjoyed what you have to say. I knew you had "good stuff" by being around you at church, LOVE YOU LADY!!! =D
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