“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139:14
We define ourselves in so many ways. We often identify ourselves by our family, friends, or careers. There is good reason for this. Our time and energy are often focused on the people we know and our daily work. But who we are is not simply what we do or where we come from. Who we are is first defined by the One who created us, redeemed us, and sustains us.
Casting Crowns is an excellent modern Christian music group. They wrote and performed the song, “Who Am I?” This ballad won the Song of the Year award at the GMA Dove Awards. It is powerful song, not only in how it is performed but in the message it conveys.
This song asks the important question about our identity. “Who am I?” The answer is found throughout the Bible. The book of Genesis says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) The Disciple John writes, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) The Apostle Paul would write in the book of Ephesians that “We are God’s handiwork.” (Ephesians 2:10) The scriptures are clear that we are not only created by God, but we are loved by God. We are the loved children of God
We are many things, but first and foremost, our identity is found in the fact that we are the children of God. God created us and God continues to care for us. When we understand that we belong to and are loved by God, we begin to see the world differently. We know there is no place for fear because God is with us. As the children of God, we understand that we have meaning and purpose.
In the Casting Crowns song, they ask, “Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name? Would care to feel my hurt? Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way for my ever wandering heart?” The answer is clear: God knows us and cares for us, His children. God created us with a purpose. God has given each of us gifts to share. God is with us. God loves us, and because God loves us, we know that we are far more than the limiting ways we often use to define ourselves. We are the beloved creation of the eternal God.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
