Who We Are

"Thou shalt no more be named 'Forsaken,' neither shall thy land any more be called 'Desolate'; but thou shalt be called 'My Delight,' and thy land 'Betrothed.' For the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

"And they shall call [you], 'The holy people,' 'The redeemed of the Lord'; and thou shalt be called 'Sought out,' 'A city not forsaken.'" Isaiah 62:4, 12

Part of living sanely in an insane world is to have a proper perspective of yourself, and the children of God would do well to remember who they are and Whose they are. I dare say we see ourselves as slave and servant (and rightly so, for God is our Lord and Master), but do we see ourselves as lover and friend (which are equally right, for He is our Beloved and Father and Friend)? The main focus of Christian psychology is a proper perspective of the self: first as a lost sinner, and then as the redeemed children of God; formally the forsaken desolate, and now the delight and betrothed of God. We who were not a people, and had no name, are now called "Christian," little Christ, of Christ and therefore of God, belonging to God as His most valued and treasured possession, i.e., His Son. It is our new name, our new identity, and we should wear them gladly.

It's time that Christians started living by the proper names. Some have the service part down right, but they have no concept of God's delight, and thus their service is cold and wearying. Others have the delight part down well and good, but have lost the idea of service, and consequently are useless hedonists. The love of God revealed in Christ constrains us in every way: the thoughts that we think, the words that we speak, the things that we do, all needs to glorify the God Who calls us His children, His servants, His delight, and His beloved. Until we see and continually see who we are, we will never be what we should be.

"You call me as Your own,

To know You and be known..."

(Mercy Me)

-Jon Vowell