Identity & Blessings
Hey friends!
It's been awhile since I've had the chance to write anything for myself, so here's a quick update on my life! I got a job as a writing tutor, I am involved in prayer movement and a local outreach, I go to a mentoring group regularly, and I teach preschool. I am busy, busy, busy, but I'm loving life. So, that's my little life update for the night.
As I am writing this, I'm thinking about the essay I should be doing. Instead, I am doing laundry and thinking over two recurring themes I have heard about for weeks. The Lord has been speaking to me about these things since the start of the year; however, this past month they have been brought up repeatedly. If you haven't guessed already (you know from the big title and all), I'm talking about identity and blessings. My mentoring group has talked about identity for over 5 weeks now, a pastor spoke about it in chapel last week, my professor brought it up, and my friends talk about it sporadically. Everything that is said reconfirms what Jesus talks to me about. Not only have I been hearing about identity, I have also heard about blessings. My local pastor preached on blessings, another professor often talks on the subject, President Wilson talked about it, and in my recent Bible reading, it came up. One of the reasons I created this blog was to talk about both blessings and identity, because I knew that if Jesus kept bringing it up, then I needed to share it. So, I am sharing it now (finally, after 3/4 of the year is over).
Identity:
Everything that God created has an identity, and when that something fulfills its identity, it fulfills its purpose. We see this in Genesis 1- God creates something, it fulfills its purpose, and He calls it good. When sin entered this world, human identity was skewed. There is still our original purpose, our original identity, but sin came in and distracted humankind from that original plan. Often times, people my age travel abroad to "find themselves." Often times, those people don't "find themselves." I think that so many of the world's issues are a direct cause of people not knowing their true identity. Now this is next statement might be a little controversial, but the truth must be said, no matter who gets offended (even if it's you). These issues include homosexuality, lust, insecurity, comparisons, abortion, racism, political corruption, and so many more. I find that when a person doesn't know their identity, they turn towards sin. What is our true identity, then? We were created to worship the King of Kings, the Great I AM, the Almighty, the knower of all things, the creator of the universe, the one who reaches into the cosmos to comfort us, the savior, the GOOD father, the alpha and the omega, Yahweh. When someone gives their life to Jesus, they find their identity. Their purpose is then fulfilled, and they are called "good." Wow. To think that we don't have to travel the world, we don't have to become one with nature, we don't have to be blocked in by regulations, we don't have to be continually lost, we just have to say "yes" to Jesus, in order to find our identity. We are not orphans, we are his children; we are not lost, we are found; we are not unwanted, we are created; we are not depressed, we have ETERNAL joy; we are not afraid, we have a sound mind. Every time I think about this, I am so amazed. THE true God chose to create ME, measly little me, who was born into sin and shame, but because of Him, I am made Holy and righteous. My identity is in Him, and when I worship my creator, I am more myself than ever. Even though I don't sing, I don't play instruments, and I'm not on the worship team- I am created to worship. My identity will never be found in a person or a thing, because my true identity rests in Jesus.
Blessings:
Read my next blog post (coming soon) to hear what God has been speaking to me about blessings.
This week's verse (I am trying to memorize this):
Isaiah 45:18-19 (NIV)-
For this is what the Lord says- He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited- he says: "I am the Lord, and there is no other, I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'seek me in vain,' I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Isaiah 45:18-19 (NLT)-
For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos.“I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.
Thank you all so much for reading my heart! I will be praying for you to encounter the Father's love this week, and to see your purpose fulfilled as you realize your true identity. Please comment/email/contact if you have any questions/prayer requests.
Love, Emily
P.S. A few songs that I was reminded of as I wrote this:
-"Yahweh" by Elevation Worship
-"The More I Seek You" by Kari Jobe
-"Ever Be" by Bethel Music