Sunday, November 22, 2009

identity

Recently, I had a terrible experience of having my purse stolen. Some thief of scumbag proportions ripped my personal property right out of my car, that was parked right in my driveway. Still, I have a hard time admitting that I actually chose that (of all) night (s) to leave my purse (!) in my car!!! Why?!

The good news is (well, not for the purse nabber) is that there really was nothing in the bag really worth taking. I seriously had the bare minumum in my purse that night. (for some reason only the good LORD can ever know). All it cost me was a really bad headache. Ugh.

Then I started wondering about the scary fact that my identity has just now been made very vulnerable. I realized that I was one of the many people who are at a huge risk for being taking advantage of. Scary. I looked up on the internet to see what I could find out about indentity theft protection and what not. I found so very much. There are way too many precautions to take. It all costs you money, time and worry. I sort of felt that I might as well wait until my identiy got stolen to go through with all the nightmare (not really tho).

This got me to thinking about my identity in general. I started thinking about my worth as far my identity goes. What would someone gain by taking my identity.

Quickly I felt like instead of searching for ways to protect my identity, I felt like I should first decide what my identity was. In Christ.

I was born a sinner. I was born in a sinful world. I was destined to be a sinner and face a sinners death. But God.

Jesus came down and defeated this soul-less earth. He gave me a new name, and a new identity. And His word tells me no one can steal that identity. John 10:28 says that He has given me eternal life and NOTHING can remove me from His hand.

"No power of hell, or scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
‘Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand"
-from the hymn In Christ Alone

I stand amazed everytime I realize the gift of ETERNAL salvation that I have in Jesus' name. Romans 8:37-39 “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” THANK you JESUS!

All I know is that nothing I can do protects who I am in Jesus Christ. I rely fully on His sufficient Grace. His Amazing Grace. Halelujah, what a savior!

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see''