WHO I’M NOT
THE WORLD, the RESTLESSNESS OF OUR SOULS and the PRIDE OF LIFE would have us searching for, from time to time, trying to define ‘WHO AM I?’ And we go on this pointless and meaningless quest to define ‘WHO AM I?’ Sometimes, we come to this place where we end up defining ourselves by what we do, or (perhaps) we have this revelation about our our sexuality, or (maybe) we define ourselves by our beliefs or the causes that we support etc, etc. This may end up giving us some temporary solace but, I want to tell you, from a Biblical viewpoint, the question isn’t ‘WHO AM I?’ but rather the question is ‘WHO I’M NOT?’. Or, let me put that another way, it’s not until we have a true and genuine revelation experience of WHO GOD IS and WHO WE ARE NOT will we ever come to a place of peace and joy and rest for our souls.
In the passage that we looked at in Part 1 it says:
Job 42:2-6
2 “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.
Nothing and no one can upset your plans.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water,
ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’
I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,
made small talk about wonders way over my head.
4 You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking.
Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’
5 I admit I once lived by rumours of you;
now I have it all firsthand — from my own eyes and ears!
6 I’m sorry — forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise!
I’ll never again live on crust of hearsay, crumbs of rumour.” THE MESSAGE
Job has an encounter with the LIVING GOD. Not only does he experience WHO GOD IS but he has this revelation of WHO HE IS NOT in the light of WHO GOD IS! In the FACE OF GOD he turns from (repents) from his arrogant position to one of humility, submission and surrender.
In Isaiah 6:5, Isaiah sees the Lord sitting on His throne in all His splendor and he says:
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” NIV
You see, in the presence of the Lord we experience WHO GOD IS but equally we experience WHO WE ARE NOT in the light of WHO HE IS. Our uncleanness is exposed, our sin is exposed, our pride is exposed. This is understating things. That vileness and stench of our sin is plainly seen in the gruesome and violent death of Jesus on the cross.
Oh Father, to be in your awesome presence is both a fearful and wonderful thing. Thank you for your Son Jesus who bore my sin on that cross so that I could come into your awesome presence and experience fullness of joy in You. In Jesus Name, AMEN
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