Who am I?

Who am I?
the words popped into my head
one Monday morning.
It started me thinking about my identity.

Do you ever think about who you are?
Try it.
Like now...

Am I
what I do
like my job
or my title?
Am I
how I look
or what I say?
Am I who others see?
Am I
the best me
the one I hope to become
or the worst me
all the times I've failed?
I really hope that's not me.

Half the day passed
pondering this
till I read:
“But who do you say I am?”
Jesus was asking His disciples.
The words jumped off the page,
and into my heart.
It wasn't the answer,
but it was a crucial part of the answer.

I cant (after all) know who I am
apart from knowing
who Christ is
and how He sees me.
Well, I could...
but I don't want to.
Many people (sadly)
have an identity
apart from Christ.

But I have been made new.
I bare His Name.
I am adopted
and grafted into
something much bigger than I.
Something
or rather Someone
who changes everything
about me.

When I think about who
God is
and then I look at myself
in the light of His love,
I cant help but feel valuable.
I have value
and my life
has meaning
and I have
an identity
based on the One
who formed me
rescued me
pursued me
fills me
guides me
guards me
and helps me.

In His eyes
I see reflected
my best me.
Some may see
my worst me
and in truth,
I see that too
but the One who knows me best
loves me most
and I am spotless
in His sight.

Can I just say
"in His sight"
are some of my favorite words in the Bible
Just let them linger for a moment in your mind.
"In His sight"
You see,
I'm precious
in His sight
spotless
in His sight
holy
in His sight.
This is for sure
the best me,
but more than that,
it's the true me.
May I always be found
displaying all that Christ sees in me
all that Abba created me to be
all that He sees
when He looks at me.
Even the fact that He looks at me
is amazing
I'm humbled
and healed
I'm broken
and made new
all that the world
destroyed in me
all that I fall short of becoming
God has made completely new
and when He looks at me
He must see
all those things
He thought were good
when He made me.
I love to think about that
to imagine what
He just loves
about me.
In fact,
when I read the gospels
and watch Christ
I am transformed
into His likeness...
The way He
taught love
and lived love
the way He was
wise
humble
patient and kind
surprisingly sensitive
indescribably forgiving
and unquestionably compassionate.
His personality was so
unsettling
so out of the box
so different from anyone
every before
Yet, He was known by His sheep
His words were life and breath
for all who were being called
Still His words
live and breath
and heal and guide.
Still He lives and changes lives
Still He heals and whispers words of love
to the broken
grieving
and humble.

Oh Father,
let me be just like Jesus
in every good wise and loving way
Help me point others
to your all powerful
life changing
love.
That's my best self.
Wrapped up in you
found hidden in you
bond to you
yoked with you
one with you
Just as Jesus
asked.
Thank you for all that you see
when you look at me.

c Kim Damon 2013