7 March 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-
David… Men see a shepherd; God sees a King
Esther… Men see an orphan; God sees a Queen
Gideon… Men see a peasant; God sees a warrior
Ruth… Men see a foreigner and widow; God sees a mother in the lineage of Christ
Rahab… Men see a prostitute, God sees a mother in the lineage of Jesus Christ
Jeremiah… Men see a child; God sees a prophet
Moses… Men see a shepherd; God sees a leader of two million Israelites
Joseph… Men see a slave; God sees a prime minister of Egypt
The truth is that God likes to use the foolish and weak people in this world to shame the wise and strong (1 Cor 1:27). What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see yourself as how other people perceive you, or do you see you as how God perceive you?
The greatest satisfaction comes from knowing who you are in God’s eyes and becoming all that He has made you to be.
God picks you up from where you’re at, neither because you deserve it nor because you have all the skills, talents, and abilities to perform the job. He picked you because of your heart for Him (Psalm 34:18). Unlike men, He does not look at your appearance but your heart (1 Sam 16:7). And if you humble yourself before Him, he will lift you up at the proper time (James 4:10; 1 Pet 5:6). And like a talent manager, the Lord will harness your strengths to show His Glory (Heb 13:21; Eph 2:10).
The truth is this: This is not your story. It is not about you. It is about God. It is about His Glory. And how we are created in His Image, betrothed as His Children, and given the gift to share in this Glory He has.
We believe in ourselves, not because of what we have or know. We believe in ourselves because of what we are in Him, who gives us all the riches immeasurably in Christ (Phil 4:19). Because of Him, we are victorious (Phil 3:12; 1 Cor 15:57). Because of Him, we are bold and fearless of this world (1 Tim 1:7). And when we fear God, there’s nothing we need to fear on earth, neither people’s opinions and expectations nor even death. All that we are and all that we have come from the Lord. All good things come from the God (James 1:17)! And if God the Father is willing to give his one and only son for us (John 3:16), will He not give us every good thing for His children (Matt 7:11)?
In Luke 16, Jesus said to Peter, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gate of Hades will not overcome it (v 18).” The meaning of Peter in the original Greek meant ‘rock’, and Jesus saw that Peter will be as firm and steadfast as a ‘rock’ in proclaiming the truth after His resurrection, that is before him betraying Christ three times. In other words, Christ recognized Peter as ‘the rock’ even before Peter saw himself as one, amidst the mess he made. And claiming on this new identity, Peter repented and became the leader of thousands of believers in the early church!
Likewise, we need to lose the identity that we have in this world, in order to gain the new identity that we have in Christ. Like Peter, there are many ordinary people in the Bible like you and me, who did great things for God, not based on their own merit but their willingness to be humble, trust, and surrender their lives to Christ. The ultimate paradox of being a Christ follower is that while we die to ourselves, we gain everything that is in Christ. That is why Luke 9:24 says, ‘for whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it (Luke 9:24).’
So, what defines who you are?
Your family background does not define you.
Your profession does not define you.
Your wealth or lack of wealth does not define you.
Your properties do not define you.
Your knowledge does not define you.
Your intelligence does not define you.
Your looks do not define you.
Your past does not define you.
None of these things define you but the Word of God defines you.
You are the son or daughter of the Living God who created the Heaven and Earth, and the Universe!
You are the CHILD OF GOD, born again from the incorruptible seed of the living and eternal Word of God (1 Peter 1:23)
You are a NEW CREATION in Christ (2 Cor 5:17)
You are God’s MASTERPIECE, prepared and equipped to do every good work (Eph 2:10)
You have received the gift of RIGHTEOUSNESS and abundant provision of GRACE in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17)
You are more than a CONQUEROR through God who loves you (Rom 8:37)
You are an OVERCOMER of darkness by the blood of Jesus Christ and the words of your testimony (Rev 12:11)
You are part of a CHOSEN GENERATION, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, and GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION (1 Pet 2:9)
You are the TEMPLE of the HOLY SPIRIT, you are not your own (1 Cor 6:19)
You are COMPLETE in Jesus Christ, who is the head of every power and authority (Col 2:10)
You are SAFE and PROTECTED from the harm of the evil one (1 John 5:18)
You have the MIND OF CHRIST (1 Cor 2:16)
You have the Spirit of WISDOM and REVELATION, if we asked God (Eph 1:17)
You have NO LACK in everything because Christ will supply everything you need according to His Riches (Phil 4:19)
You have the STRENGTH in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES in Jesus Christ (Phil 4:13; Col 1:11)
You are HEALED by Jesus’ wounds (1 Pet 2:24)
You are GREATLY LOVED by God (Eph 2:4; Romans 5:8) and inseparable from His Love (Romans 8:38-39).
You have NO FEAR and NO TIMIDITY, but a spirit of POWER, LOVE, and DISCIPLINE in God (2 Tim 1:7).
And these are the TRUTHS of who we are in Jesus Christ, as believers and joint heirs with Him (Romans 8:17).
Only when we shed off everything else that defines ourselves (whether talents, skills, status, power, wealth, intelligence, looks) and based our identity on Christ, we possess an unshakeable, immovable, everlasting, and absolute confidence of who we are only in Jesus Christ.
You are the child of the Living God through Jesus. And that is awesome, complete, and enough.
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