Whose you are

This last Ash Wednesday our Pastor gave an amazing, but very short, sermon on the 3 R's for Lent.

He went on to explain the three R's:

     Remember: Remember WHO you are  
     Remember WHOSE you are
   
     Repent: Change your mind, not just actions (changing our  mind from sinful ways allows our actions to follow.)

     Return:  You can't fix yourself - only God can do that.  Find yourself in His presence.

The first one, to me, is the one I need the most.  To remember Who I am, and Whose I am.  This brings comforting thoughts in a world that tries to tell me otherwise.  Especially another human being that has their own motives or agenda.

Many people we know, including family, can treat us in a way that we start to believe we are unimportant, or that no matter what we do we will never be good enough. This brings on feelings of guilt, anger and possibly sadness.  Detachment and remembering that what is said in their hula hoop isn't what's happening in yours.

None the less, it can be hard to let go.  REMEMBER.  Remember WHO you are.  You (and I) were created in His image.  REMEMBER you have value and dignity just because you breathe.  REMEMBER WHOSE you are.  You are a child of God and though adoption and inheritance through Jesus we belong to the family of God.

Just pondering on this can bring great joy.  Something that is needed when those "lies" start rolling in.

May your Lent be a journey that brings you closer to Him and being able to listen to that peace within.