Who You Really Are

From my devotional - “UncomMen” - this morning; Here’s a list of what God says "Who You Really Are" as a follower of Jesus Christ.

I am blameless and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:22)

Christ Himself is in me. (Colossians 1:27)

I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built up in Him. (Colossians 2:7)

I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

I have been spiritually circumcised. My old unregenerate nature has been removed. (Colossians 2:11)

I have been buried, raised, and made alive with Christ. (Colossians 2:12-13)

I died with Christ, and I have been raised up with Christ. My life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is now my life. (Colossians 1:1-4)

I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life. (Colossians 3:4)

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

I am a son of light and not of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I have been saved and set apart according to God’s doing. (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5)

Because I am sanctified and am one with the Sanctifier, He is not ashamed to call me brother. (Hebrews 2:11)

I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)

I have the right to come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in a time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

I have been born again. (1 Peter 1:23)

I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)

I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a People for God’s own possession. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live. (1 Peter 2:11)

I am forgiven on account of Jesus’ name. (1 John 2:12)

I am anointed by God. (1 John 2:27)

I am a child of God, and I will resemble Christ when He returns. (1 John 3:1,2)

I am loved. (1 John 4:10)

I am like Christ. (1 John 4:10)

I have life. (1 John 5:12)

I am born of God and the evil one, the devil, cannot touch me. (1 John 5:`8)

I have been redeemed. (Revelation 5:9)

There I Was

There I was, lying in an open field, surrounded by the freshly cut hay. I could feel the rough grass under my bare legs and the itch of dozons of insects crawling across my body. 

One question immediately came to mind; “How did I get here?”. 

I was fatigued and injured, unable to continue on my own. Although I couldn’t process the full reality of the situation and all of the decisions that led me to this moment, one thing was clear to me; I was dying. 

As I came in and out of consciousness, the scorching heat of the sun and the thick humidity of the day drained any energy that I had remaining. I attempted to roll over with no success. I fought to cry for help but nothing came out. 

So, in a brief moment of clarity I considered again; “How did I get here?”

I managed to open my eyes and caught a glimpse at the afternoon sky. Through a painful squint I saw death hovering above, waiting in anticipation for me to draw my final breath. 

As vultures circled above my limp, lifeless body. I was taken to a different vantage point. Experiencing an out of body moment, I watched as the vultures circled. Faster now, and swooping closer to the ground, they seemed to be in a competition for my flesh. 

My inevitable final breath would be their starter’s pistol. And so I fought all the more for another breath knowing that my next one might be my last one. 

How did my life come to this? How did I get here? 

I awoke from my nightmare, covered in a cold sweat and gasping for air. My eyes tore open and I was certain that I would see the vultures circling above my bed. 

And that question that was now written on my mind and flooded my heart with fear; “How did I get here?”.

Perhaps you can identify. A series of bad choices, a plethora of wrong decisions have landed you in a territory you are not familiar with. 

Maybe you have been here before. You are - physically, emotionally, spiritually - tired, injured, unable to carry on. 

You want to get up but you’re unable. You want to cry out for help but you can’t find the words. 

So now, with the vultures circling above - declaring your death to the world around - you wait to take your final breath. 

But God says to you the very same thing He said to me; “This is not the end.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

You may feel like you’re all alone in that field right now. You might feel like the next breath you take will be your last. The vultures may be circling over your relationship right now. You may feel like there is no hope for your finances. You might feel like a grim future awaits you.

Today, meditate on the promises of God. He has a plan for your life - a purpose that is to be fulfilled. He knows the plan He has for your life - He has not and will not forget it - He has not and will not forget you. His plan is one that will see you prosper - a plan that will bring you success. His plan is one that will bring hope to your darkest days and a future that you think is impossible. 

I encourage you - right now - to call out to the Lord. It may seem difficult to form the words. It may seem impossible from where you are laying right now. The simplest words are enough. He is waiting to hear you call. “Father God, help me.”

I urge you - right away - to get up. The vultures may be circling but this does not have to be the end. There may be signs of death but God can make all things new. 

There I was, lying in an open field, and I remembered God’s promise; “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

And I called out to the Lord. He met me where I was, helped me up, fought off the vultures of death, and revealed His plan for my life.