Who Do You Think You Are?

The other day I was looking through my photographs of a car promotional event which Ann and I attended last winter. Many of the photographs of me showed a professional photographer who was taking photos of me. Upon arrival, Ann and I had been taken for a demonstration ride around the track. At one point the vehicle slowed down, because a photographer was kneeling in the road, aiming his camera at us. But then the photographer suddenly stood up and walked away. Our driver said “Oh! I thought for a moment he was trying to take a photograph of you”. Jokingly, I said “Well I suppose he just doesn’t know who I am”.

After the driver dropped us off, I looked back, and saw the photographers chatting with the drivers. From that moment on, the photographer followed me everywhere we went, watching us intently and taking pictures of me at every opportunity. Afterwards we laughed to think about the poor photographer returning to his base and trying to identify what celebrity I was. He must have thought I really was someone special.

The truth is I am loved by the Creator of heaven and earth. I’m accepted by Him and belong to Him, and I’m loved with a kind of love way beyond my human understanding. As the Bible says ‘The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him’ (1 John 3:1), so, it’s not surprising that the photographer didn’t know me. But I know from personal experience that, even though we’re God’s children, we can sometimes not really know who we are in Him.

I believe it really saddens the Lord that many of His children struggle with the concept that they’re His beloved children, and that He’s their loving heavenly Father. I remember the time when I only ‘understood’ this in my head, but didn’t feel it in my heart. Intellectually, I understood that God was ‘my Father’. I’d read it in the Bible, and was told it often enough by those who wanted to help me. At that time, I failed to feel it in my heart, and failed to live as a loved and adopted son of the Creator of this world.

It says in God’s Word ‘The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16), and since that time, the Lord has often confirmed the truth to me in my human spirit, saying “You are special. You are my beloved, adopted son”. He’ll do the same for you if you ask Him and really believe that He does.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to really know You deep inside my heart as my Abba Father, my true Dad. As I read of Your love for me in Your Word, may the Holy Spirit confirm to my spirit Your deep love for me. Help me Lord to really believe this truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.