I was thinking again about who am I and the significance of knowing who I am. If it was necessary or if I was being narcissistic. I was reading John 13 and something caught my eye. The NIV, 2011 version starting in verse 3 reads like this, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.” Jesus knew who he was. He knew the Father had put all things under his power and this allowed him to be secure enough to wash his disciples feet. 

It is not until I know who I am in Christ, that I can be secure enough to reach out to all people. The fear of being exposed will be gone. The fear of vulnerability will disappear. The fear of people realizing I’m a fraud, that I have more fear than faith, will disappear.

God gave me Isaiah 54 over 24 years ago when I was a single teenage parent with two small boys from two different fathers. I didn’t realize I would carry the shame with me for so many years. Even though those two beautiful boys are grown and are amazing in very different ways, I am still walking in that shame.

I feel the chains coming off. The time to step into complete freedom in the knowledge and security of Isaiah 54 and Colossians 2 is now.

A song that is coming to my mind is You Make Me Brave.

Picture by Pearl Schulz.