Who am I?
Psalm 8:1-4
"Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name – would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way for my ever wondering heart?
Who am I that the eyes that see my sin would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I that the voice that calmed the sea would call out through the rain and calm the storm in me?
Not because of who I am but because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done but because of who You are!
I am a flower quickly fading – here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean; a vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling. Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You’ve told me who I am. I am Yours!"
These are lyrics taken from a song by a band called Casting Crowns and while these words are not from the bible I think they are filled with biblical concepts.
The author is essentially comparing who he is with who he ought to be and finding out that things aren’t adding up. After he realizes each shortcoming he asks the question “Who am I?” to imply his amazement that despite his failures, God still loves him. At the end of the song, he comes to the realization that it isn’t because of who he is and it’s not because of what he’s done or not done, but it’s because of who God is and because of what God has done that he is so loved.
Consider these words from Psalm 8:1-4 (when I read this I can’t help but wonder if King David was thinking along the same lines as of the author who wrote this song). In this Psalm David is blown away that God would even care to know us – I second his notion. He is the God who spoke the universe into existence, the God that can create life, build and destroy kingdoms, part seas, heal the sick and raise his Son from the dead. He is all powerful and needs nothing from us. It’s amazing that a God like this would care to know us and even more amazing that He would love us…love us enough to send His only Son to die as a sacrifice for our shortcomings.
As we consider these things we may wonder how to respond. What can we say or do to respond to God for all he has done? Perhaps the words of Jesus found in Luke’s gospel (Luke 18:9-14) can help us better understand the kind of response God is looking for. The tax collector didn’t go on and on with fancy words in his prayer to God. Perhaps he was so overwhelmed by his shortcomings that all he could conjure up was to ask God for forgiveness. Jesus says that the tax collector went home justified before God because of his humble heart.
As we reflect on God’s immense power and all He is capable of, it should be awe inspiring to us that He wants to know us. It is even more amazing that he loves us and cares about our wellbeing, both physical and more importantly spiritual. God will stop at nothing to have a relationship with us, even sending His son to bear the punishment that we deserved to pay. He has done it all, and all we need to do is accept His plan of salvation which is clearly outlined in the Bible.
There is no way for us to pay God back for all He has done for us but perhaps the best response we can offer is to humbly come before Him like the tax collector and commit our lives to Him. If you are ready to or are even just thinking about accepting God into your life, please contact the Daily Inspirer Team to learn more about this most important decision.