Who Am I?

We all love to have a title, don’t we?  Most of us like to have a title before or after our name to give us a sense of worth or make us feel that we have accomplished something.  Titles like….C.E.O., President, Vice President of Marketing, Account Executive, General Manager, Doctor, Teacher, even Mr. or Mrs. Whatever our title might be, it makes us stand a little taller when we hear someone attach a title to our name. In recent months, I have found myself asking God, “Who Am I?”.  When my kids were younger I was introduced as their “mom” (I still am, of course, in certain circles).  For 40 years I was “Randy’s wife”, and for over 20 years I’ve been introduced as “the Pastor’s wife at MAG”.  But, lately I find myself asking, “God, Who Am I now?”.  Since some of those titles are gone, it can be hard to figure out what to call myself.  A few weeks after Randy was gone, I received a letter addressing me as “widow”.  Now, I don’t want to offend any widows out there, but I despise that title!  Of all the things that I could be called, “widow” is not one I would ever choose.  It makes me think of a spider, something creepy and dark.  I’m sorry, but I’m just not ready to be titled, “this is Karen Urich, she’s a widow”.  I know it’s a word used in the Bible, and it’s not meant to be offensive, maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t want that title…not right now anyway…and maybe never! Have you ever been stripped of a title and found yourself wondering, “Who Am I”?  Have you ever been labeled, or given a title, that you would never choose for yourself, and it seems to bring you down instead of lifting you up?   Or…maybe you have never really been sure of who you are, or what to call yourself for some reason.  Well, I have good news for all of us…when we ask God, “Who Am I?”…He has all kinds of answers, and titles, for us.  I have found that dwelling on what He calls me, lifts me up.  His titles make me feel like standing a little taller, squaring my shoulders, and lifting my head high. Here are some of the titles God has for each of us… Child of the Most High God A chosen race Royal Priesthood Temple of the Holy Spirit A new creation Crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord Fearfully and wonderfully made His workmanship Created in His image God’s chosen ones Holy and Beloved Sons & Daughters….Children of God Wow!  What a list! So, the next time you find yourself, like me, wondering, “Who Am I?”…or you lose perspective on who God has created you to be…just look to the Bible for your “title”.  Repeat these names to yourself, over and over again, if necessary.  This is who God says that we are!  You and I have titles given to us by God that no man can take from us. God’s word also says…

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1: 11 & 12 (MSG)

Passionate for the cause of Christ, Karen Urich