"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'
It is fair to say that the identity crisis is common to all human beings.
Many people ground their identity in their looks, their work or worse still what others think. Others have been “named” or “labeled” by parents, experiences or society often in negative ways like “stupid”, “no good” and worse.
Who are you? And to what degree is your identity rooted in your relationship with Jesus Christ?
Trials, tests and temptations reveal the anchor of our soul. Crisis reveals character, values and true beliefs. But it is also through these things that God wants us to hear his voice.
I love the passage of Scripture above because it is a reminder that in Christ, the Father says to us, “you are my son, chosen and marked by my grace, I delight in you.”
Jesus the Christ receives a direct message from God the Father about who he is and how God sees him right before being tested.
The key to pass any test and overcoming any crisis is what we believe about God and what we believe about ourselves.
It is critical to know that when we are tested, tempted or when we fall that the Father loves us. It is important to remind ourselves that we belong to God.
Our identity is what the Enemy is going to try to steal and what the world will ridicule.
But our identity, our true selves, is what the Father wants to affirm and develop in us by the Spirit and the Word.
In the midst of the storm, the trial and the noise, can you say, “I know who I am”? Can you hear the Father say, “You are mine”?
Our identity is both a gift and a journey of renewal with God through Christ.
Heavenly Father, help us to know you, so that we might know ourselves.
Please post your thoughts below.
Your brother,
Minister Onorio
Wow, I never related that passage to our own need for affirmation and identity through our relationship with God. I've got to go read that whole chapter again with that in mind.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I pray you might continue to grow in your relationship with God!
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