Who Do You Think You Are?

Have you ever seen this TV show?  They take a well known celebrity and research their family history.  One that I recall and that stands out is Danny Dyer who discovered he was descended from King Edward III.  It’s a show that is good at drawing the viewer in as we can all relate to the need to know where we come from.   It’s fascinating to discover the history of other people, both the rogues and in this case a king!

Who am I?  This is such an essential discovery for all of us and for most of us, we look to our mum and dad and possibly our grandparents too.  Being rooted in a family, and knowing where we come from, is so important for us: to have that sense of belonging and acceptance.  Life is often much harder for those who don’t have the blessing of a good family.

I shared this on the Alpha course recently, “When my dad died I remember feeling quite lost and abandoned at the time.  The Lord allowed this time of reflection for me to discover how I’d often done things to seek the approval of my dad.  In many ways I had done things to please him.  One night the Lord showed me a picture of a marionette (a puppet with strings) and then He cut the strings and then re-attached them to His hand.  I wasn’t lost or abandoned at all.  The Lord was reminding me that He is my Heavenly Father who is always with me. ”

Family trees can be so complicated but now mine is so simple … Father God then me!

The battle today is for identity and it is the same battle that existed when Jesus walked the earth.  Just look at Matthew 4 and the accuser’s repeated words, “if you are the Son of God”.  Then look at the assurance and confidence of Jesus’ words.  Jesus knew that He was the Son of God and He knew His Heavenly Father.  This same assurance is for us believers too; we are His child, we all have a family now, we all belong.  Just look around at church to see all the brothers and sisters we have too! 

My wonderful wife Gill shared something recently that a student had said whilst they had been learning about diversity.  It was a phrase that made the whole class stop and think - a wow moment. Here it is: “When you know who you are, you are content and not threatened by those who are different.”

In the chapters we look at this week, Jesus speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven and reveals so much about what our Heavenly Father, His Son and His children (us!) are like and the way the Spirit leads us to now live.  Knowing who we are in Christ, knowing we have nothing to prove to others and knowing this is how God has made us anew empowers us to live this way.

My prayer this week is that each one of us either discovers a treasure to use, which Our Heavenly Father has deposited in us or re-discovers one that gets a fresh polish.  This new life we now share by the Holy Spirit is to be truly glorious. 

By God’s grace, let’s light up this world together.