Who Am I?

Identity has been the hot topic of recent days.  It’s all over the news.  In the past several weeks Bruce Jenner’s new photos seemed to be everywhere.  He has certainly been successful in altering his appearance, but can Bruce truly change who he is by dabbling with his hormones and taking severe measures with surgical procedures?  No one can deny that he has altered himself, but does it change him at his core?  What does his DNA, present in every cell, say about who he is?  Many will contend that people should honor his choice to be Caitlyn.  Some say Bruce is a hero for his courage.  He has certainly added some new dramatic pages to his story. 

This week the spotlight shifted to Rachel Dolezal. president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP.   She is a woman who has gone to far lesser measures than Jenner to change both her appearance and the way she is perceived, but has attempted to still.  Rachel is different than Bruce in that she has apparently tried to re-write her story.  She backtracked and claimed a different man to be her father than the Caucasian man in Montana who is named on her birth certificate.  It will be interesting to see how the public responds to this on the heels of the Jenner story.

All of this cultural talk about identity has gotten me thinking about my identity in Christ.  As believers we are members of a family, we’ve been offered an inheritance, and we’ve been given the rights and responsibilities that come along with being in this family.  Our inheritance is immense, and it isn’t just for the heaven we will eventually inhabit.

Jesus said, “ALL authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”  He has the keys and has opened the way for us to walk the earth in humility, yet in power.  Only being led moment by moment by His Spirit will let us have any idea of what is at hand for us, what we have been uniquely made to be.

If I BELIEVE Him, I will listen,

If I LISTEN, I will learn to hear His voice.

If I HEAR His voice, I will follow.

If I FOLLOW, I am likely to see and be a part of the miracles of His presence as He moves in what He leads us to.

If I SEE miracles and lives changed through the rhythms of His heart, I will likely believe in greater measure.  And so His presence on earth increases.

“And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the INCREASE of his government and peace there will be no end.”  Isaiah 9:7

I heard recently of a woman who toward the end of her life explained that she “got tired of the smoke and decided to jump into the fire.”  Amen, sister.  I do not want the end of my life here to result in facing a victorious Lord who is asking me why I didn’t believe He meant what He said and dove in to see what all that meant.

It is time to give Him room to be LORD.  That’s the identity of a believer…to be an all in man or woman who grabs the invitation to bring heaven to earth and keeps saying “yes” at every opportunity.