In a world filled with endless mixed messages, it’s easy to get lost in the fog and be deceived by half-truths or flat-out fabrications of God’s Word. Just take a gander at some commonly used phrases below.
This, too, shall pass. God helps those who help themselves. God works in mysterious ways. God will never give you more than you can handle. The eyes are the window into the soul. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Spare the rod and spoil the child. And on and on.
While many of these well-known statements contain good wisdom and little nuggets of truth, some even referred to or “noted” in the Scriptures, they are often taken out of context to spin some sort of personal narrative. While generally shared in a meaningful way to express a soft sentiment or extend comfort, these platitudes can undermine the words of our Savior, causing us to lose sight of the real truth.
That said, now, more than ever, we need to have handheld copies of the Bible, maybe even in multiple translations, so when something doesn’t seem to add up or make sense, we can go straight to His Word and seek to find the real and absolute truth God is trying to reveal to us.
In addition, there are even more mixed messages in today’s culture that baffle many, including believers, about who God says we are. Are we really precious in His sight? Priceless? Cherished? A one-of-a-kind, unique creation made on purpose? Are we really fully known and fully loved?
Who are we, exactly? More importantly, who does God say we are?
Well, my dear friend, I invite you to grab your Bible and open it up so we can discover some sweet verses that declare who God says you are. While the list below only scratches the surface, let it be a springboard to relish in His love as He proclaims who He says you are! Then let His Words and beautiful truths settle into your heart, reminding you that you were so intricately made with love and called to a greater purpose, setting your sights beyond this world and embracing eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18).
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1. God says you are His beloved child.
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." - 1 John 3:1-2
The very nature of our God is love, which envelops His holiness, purity, righteousness, compassion, justice, and mercy. While God loves all His creation, when we make a profession of faith, we immediately become His “beloved” children (Ephesians 3:26). Being a beloved child of God is a powerful statement that holds so much significance as no other relationship will even come close or compare (1 Corinthians 13:8a). When we understand the gravity of that, we learn to revere and respect God as Father. You are the beloved child of the Creator of the universe, and He wants to have an intimate and personal relationship with you. Tuck that in your heart today!
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2. God says you are chosen.
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9
God has always had a special place in His heart for the people of Israel. We see this weaved throughout the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 7:6). As believers, we have the honor and privilege of gaining a spiritual connection to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. In His sovereignty, God chose you (Titus 1:1, Ephesians 1:11). Praise be to God for that!
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3. God says you are a holy temple.
"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple." - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, stating that as a church body, God dwells inside of us, allowing us to go forth and live on a mission. As a church, we are to honor this sacred and holy dwelling and use it to connect and reflect on the nature of God, deepening our faith while also striving to reach out to the lost and unbelievers. God says we are to live with a mission mindset. We are the light to a lost and dark world (Matthew 5:14-16)!
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4. God says you are made in His image.
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27
God does not take His creation lightly. In fact, when He speaks things into existence, there is value and a grander plan far beyond what we will fully know or begin to understand. That said, the very specific human blueprint not only claims we differ from anything else He created but that God’s distinct love for us is quite beautiful and unique. We matter so deeply to Him that He made us with attributes that resemble His own so that we can connect with Him in a meaningful and purposeful way. Just ponder that thought next time you see your reflection in the mirror.
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5. God says you are valuable.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" - Matthew 6:26
Jesus reminds His followers (and us) that our value is far more than that of any other creation, and if He cares for their basic needs, how much more will He care for us, His most beloved creation? Obviously enough to ensure our salvation so that we can spend eternity with Him (1 Peter 1:18-19)! Yes, you are seen as a priceless treasure, which is why Jesus paid it all so you could freely live.
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6. God says you are His friend.
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." - John 15:14-15
We are not only God’s beloved chosen children, but He also tells us that we are His friends. It just boggles my mind that our majestic and awesome Creator God is so powerful, yet so personal, seeking a friendship with us! Not only that, but befriending God is the most tender, mystifying, and rewarding relationship we will ever experience on this side of heaven. How sweet is that?
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7. God says you are His ambassador.
"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God." - 2 Corinthians 5:20
God has given us a job to do while on this earth. We are called to speak love, truth, and life into a lost and secular world. As we grow in our relationship with God and abide in Him, He will lead and direct our paths to mirror His image to others who need to know of His great love and divine mercy.
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8. God says you are forgiven.
"I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name." - 1 John 2:12
God is forever faithful and so rich in grace that when we take our hurting hearts and sinful flesh to Him in prayer, earnestly seeking forgiveness, the slate is wiped clean—we are forgiven and set free! It’s really that simple. Yet, we can so easily complicate it and live with the chains of our past or present convictions that we allow the weight of our sins to cause dissonance or contention with God. However, when we do that, we fail to recognize the magnitude of the cross.
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9. God says you have a purpose.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28
God’s Word is full of promises and can give us so much assurance in a world filled with confusion and uncertainty. As believers, we can have the comfort of knowing that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. While that doesn’t mean life will be perfect, it does mean we have a perfect Creator who is working all things out for good.
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10. God says you are redeemed.
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." - Ephesians 1:7
When we accept Jesus into our lives and start walking by faith, we become transformed and a new creation. Oh, friend, by the blood of Jesus, we are fully sanctified, forgiven, and saved by grace. We are no longer bound by our sins, but we can praise the Lord that we are redeemed and given the promise of a forever home spent in eternity with Him! Hallelujah!
Father, thank you for being such a good and faithful Father, giving us a glimpse of Your incredible love for us in Your Word. As we meet with You on those precious pages, please reclaim truth over our hearts and remind us who YOU say we are. We love You and praise Your holy name. Amen.
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Originally published Thursday, 11 April 2024.