IDENTIFICATION

I Was Just Thinking About – IDENTIFICATION.

How would you identify yourself? What do you do? What is the chief concern you have presently? How would I like to be identified? What do I do? How would I like to be identified? There are many ways these questions can be answered but narrowing it down to a brief sentence/phrase of five words, what would you say or write?

A suggested list for the Biblical Christian is given in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5): “I am meek! I am poor in spirit. I am humble! I am merciful! I hunger/thirst for righteousness! I am pure in heart!” Some would deem that to be presumptive, fanatical or dodging the question! But – should it? Isn’t this what Jesus was teaching and requiring? Why is one hesitant to say so? Psalm 107:2 (NASB), “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary.” Isn’t that who we are? Isn’t that our true identity in Jesus Christ? Redeemed by Jesus Christ and made a new creation in/by Him? Yes! Our song could be the words written by Fanny Crosby,

Redeemed—how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed through His infinite mercy,

His child, and forever, I am.

A broader question arises when one is confronted with adversity. How does one respond or react at such times? A testimony about a devastating moment is shared in A Story About A Hymn. Some of the detail is: “In 1978, cancer was discovered in Ron Hamilton’s left eye. Many people in his circumstance would be emotionally devastated and cave in, yield to self-pity or even leave the faith. Although Ron and his wife Shelly never fully understood why God allowed him to go through this ordeal, they committed everything to God’s gracious hand and let His will be done. He said, Hearing a doctor say I had cancer and may die was a very sobering experience. Many people would see the loss of my eye and the need for wearing a patch as a great trial. But I see it as one of the greatest blessings of my life. It reminds me that God teaches us the greatest lessons in the deepest valleys. Immediately after the loss of his eye due to cancer, Ron Hamilton penned a song based on Philippians 4:4, which says: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.”

Our renewed perspective and purpose for life could also be song in the words of the Hymn: O, Rejoice in the Lord. The lyrics include:

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man.

Give thanks to the Lord though your testing seems long;

In darkness He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.

I bowed to the will of the Master that day;

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;

God strengthens His children and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;

Through purging more fruit I will bear.

Refrain:

O Rejoice in the Lord He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried And purified,

I shall come forth as gold.

May these words uplift your carking (burdensome) anxieties and cause you to “Rejoice in the Lord” today and all the days of your life. May this be your identification and witness.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!