Who Am I?

*Who Am I?*

"Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them
that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?" John 1:22

There are many "I am ..." statements in the Bible that are used by people to
describe themselves. These statements give us a clue about how they viewed
themselves. Consider some of the following "I am ..." statements and think
about what they say about the person. Abraham said, "I am old." Jacob
said, "I am Esau your firstborn." Moses said, "I am not eloquent." Gideon
said, "I am the least in my father's house." Ruth said, "I am a
foreigner." Nehemiah said, "I am doing a great work." Job said, "I am a
brother of jackals." Jesus said, "I am the door, the light, the bread of
life, the way, the truth, the life, and the Good Shepherd." Paul said, "I
am the chief of sinners."

How would you answer the question, "Who are you?" When the priests and the
Levites came to John, they expanded on this same question by asking a second
question, "What sayest thou of thyself?" His answer was immediate and
without hesitation or regret: "I am the voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias"
(John 1:23). John was not confused and he did not stutter. He knew exactly
who he was and what he was called to do. His calling was to speak or to
announce the coming of the kingdom of God and to prepare the way for the
Messiah. In our postmodern, humanistic, self-centered world, some look at
his speech and try to paint a picture of an insecure, inferior and
inadequate person - "I am not worthy to unloose his shoe's latchet. He is
preferred before me. I'm (just) a voice crying in the wilderness. He must
increase and I must decrease." However, when you read and study the entire
life of John, a totally opposite picture is painted - one of satisfaction,
confidence, contentedness, faith, strength, vision and hope.

So what would you say about yourself? Take a moment and think about it.
Would your answer describe you physically (I am old)? Would it be a
truthful statement (I am Esau)? Would it indicate some resistance (I am not
eloquent) or perceived inadequacy (I am the least)? Would it convey
confidence in doing the Lord's will (I am doing a great work)? Would your
answer describe you spiritually (I am the chief of sinners)? So what would
you say about yourself: "I am ______________." Then consider, "How happy am
I with my answer?" Are you content with who you are and where you are? If
not, ask God for insight, vision, confidence, contentedness, faith,
strength, vision and hope. Ask Him to give you a calling and vocation (Eph.
4:1), and then, "give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for
if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:10).

*Self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us. (A. W. Tozer)*