Who are we? YES—-Who are WE Really? & How can we know (Who We Really Are)?
These are fair questions to pause, to ask ourselves.  We define ourselves (aloud within our being & out loud voiced from our mouths).  After a few years of living inside our skin, we acquire a basic and true understanding of who we really are, despite what others say, despite what others speak about us, and despite what others think we are in this world.
Who are we……REALLY? And while we are asking that question….
What defines our innermost being……..DEEPLY? And while we are asking that quesestion…

We should pause to ask ourselves……..Do others only know us as…….
Child of……Son or daughter of……
Student of……
Friend to……
Acquaintance of……
Known by OR Known as……
Mentor to……
Cousin to……..Or a Niece or Nephew of……
Aunt or Uncle of……
Granddaughter of……
Grandson of……
Mom or Dad of……
Step-Child of……
Step-Daughter OR Step-Son of……
Foster Child of……
Host Parent to……
Are we someone, WHO IS…….defined to the world……by relationships……by acquaintances……by blood……by our choices……or even by who we are obedient to?
Could we mostly be known by and defined by our careers…….As A……

Teacher—Banker—Custodian—Driver—Farmer–Professor–Artist–Musician–Mechanic–Principal–Plumber–Welder–Student–Journalist–Nurse–Assistant–Doctor–Lawyer–Electrician–Manager–Hairdresser–Surgeon–&–on–&–on–&–on.

Could we be someone, who is….defined to the world by our accomplishments, our positions, or our placements.  While it is true…….we cannot control which family we are born into or placed into through other life circumstances……..It is also true that we can exert some control over what type of person we will become in this world through our career choices.

Yet, in all honesty,

• Who we are………or
• Who we even say to others we are……..or
• Where we live……….or
• Where we say we belong………or
• What we may even call ourselves………or even
• Why we may give ourselves a particular title or label or anything………..It is ultimately true, that at the end of our days, we are who God says we are……And That Is The ONLY position or label or designation that REALLY ever matters.

• God determines…….Who we are in the eternal world to come…..&…..Who we will be when our life here is complete.
• God determines……..Who we are intimately known by…..&…..Who will come for us when our heart beats its last breath.
• We Make a Life-Changing Decision As We Walk Through Life……..&……Whether we will be content and happy as we walk toward those last moments of our time here on earth.
• We Make a Life-Changing Decision As We Walk Through Life……..&……Whether we will be will become humble and overjoyed as we walk toward those final moments of our time here on earth.
• Therefore, if others chose to organize, attend, or avoid our celebration of life when we die, then they may try to claim who we are in death……or……What we called ourselves while we lived…..or……What we claimed to be as we walked through this life.

So, for the next few moments, let us consider how we are much better served IF we see ourselves with a healthy understanding of who we are…….&……HOW we fit in this world where we currently live……&…….IF we really see ourselves with a healthy understanding of who we are to God………& Finally…….How we SHOULD NOT TRY to fit into this world where we currently live.

My great-niece Clementine is a child.

As such, she is a child of her parents & a granddaughter of her parents’ parents & a niece of her parents’ siblings & a student of her preschool & a friend to her classmates & a soon-to-be big sister to her little brother.

Just this week, Clementine reminded me through her recitation who she is in comparison to who she is not. Through an audio recording sent to me, I listened as she recited Psalm 23 (with great animation and inflection), revealing how this precious, little one is a student of the Bible.  That’s right.  This small child is a great student of God’s Holy Word, and she seems to even understand who she is in relation to God. I wonder. Do we know who we are in in relation to God?

The LORD………..
HE IS………………

• The Great Shepherd—So He Is Our Shepherd.
• The Great and Almighty God—So He Is the One Who Is Our Father.
• The Source of All—So He Is Our Sustainer and Protector.
• The Creator of the Universe–So He Is Our God.
• The One Who Left Heaven, Who Came to Die upon the Cross. He is the Son of God Who Gave His Life for Ours, & Who Resurrected Himself Back to Life–So He Is Our Savior.
• The One Who Controls Everything–So He Is Our Provider.
• The Living Word–So He Is Our Truth and Our Teacher.
• The Father—So He Is Our Daily Bread and Our Living Water.
• The One Who Redeems the World–So He Is Our Advocate interceding for us to Our Father.
• The One Who Leads Us By His Hand–So He Is Our Friend Who Daily Walks Beside Us.
• HE IS SO MUCH MORE…..&…..THROUGH HIM, WE CAN BECOME SO MUCH MORE!

It Is Only Though God, we can become anything…..&…..When we realize we are incomplete, then we can proclaim to the world that through Jesus……..We Are Now Citizens of Heaven…….Where Jesus Christ Is the King of Kings!
We Can Choose to Belong to HIM………OR……….We can remain separated and not belong to God.
We Are HIS Child through Him……….OR……….We can not be an heir and not belong to God.
We Can Walk Daily With HIM……..OR……….We can choose to walk totally alone and not belong to God.

TRULY……We Are Nothing Without GOD.
However, We can become “someone” through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ because of God’s Salvation.

Truly……..We Are EVERYTHING………THROUGH GOD!

In closing, let us see in the Bible, inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, the Apostle John records the words of Jesus to help us realize how we can find that which sustains, endures, and is can be sealed within us.
“Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loves and were filled.
Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God has set His seal”  (John 6: 26-27). 

Furthermore (also inspired by God’s Holy Spirit), the psalmist David writes of who Jesus really is to David and how Jesus sustains David, who must remain in this world until God calls him home.