Who Am I? 

As a child I was a huge fan of the original Superman films, starring the late Christopher Reeve. The first of the original trilogy was my particular favourite and tells the story of Superman’s origins and his journey to becoming the indestructible flying man in blue tights and red cape that we all know so well today!

Sent to earth as a baby by his parents, to escape the destruction of his home planet Krypton, he was found and raised by kindly farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent. After Jonathan's sudden death, the young ‘Clark Kent’ (AKA Superman) hears a psychic "call" and discovers a glowing green crystal in the remains of his spacecraft. It compels him to travel to the Artic where a Fortress of Solitude, resembling the architecture of Krypton, emerges from the ice. Inside, this fortress is where he meets his biological father for the first time via a hologram system far beyond our planets capabilities.

As a young child this scene always captivated me, and the moving conversation that took place between father and son. Clark simply asks one question, one burning question he desires to know above all else… “Who am I, and why am I here”? In response, his father simply says “You are Kal-El, and you are my Son”. I found this deeply moving, and I often imagine, if we were standing face to face with God our Heavenly Father and asked him the same question, His response to us would be the same simple truth – “Your name is ‘Chosen’ and you are my son”. It’s that simple!

In my life I am being daily transformed and renewed by the amazing truth that “I am CHOSEN by God, who called me out of the darkness….” (1 Peter 2:9) “I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works that He has prepared for me to do” (Ephesians 2:10). The Bible says that you weren’t a mistake or an accident, you were a plan. You didn’t just end up here. God put you here on purpose!

Everything about you was planned, your eye colour, your hair, what you love, your passions and gifts. You have a set of fingerprints that is unlike any others here on earth. You are amazingly unique.  Even before you were born God loved you and had a plan and a purpose for you. We began in God’s heart. He watched as we were being formed, as we were “woven together in the dark of the womb” (Psalm 139: 15). Our lives are not an accident, we were chosen, created with a purpose and God has a good plan for you and your life.

Superman spends 12 years inside the fortress listening to and learning from his father about who he is, his true purpose, and how to use the awesome abilities and gifts that his father had bestowed upon him. He leaves the fortress transformed with capabilities beyond our imagination. The scene comes to a dramatic climax as we watch Superman emerge with complete confidence in who he is and his purpose, flying off towards his destination, and bearing the name of his father’s ‘S’ signet upon his chest.

How much more so then, can we as Christians, live out our lives with boldness and confidence if we could only grasp the magnitude of how deep and how wide the Father’s love is for us. To truly walk out each day in the power of His love and Spirit. To know inequivalently who we are ‘in Christ’, rejoicing in the knowledge that we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14), chosen and purposefully created by our heavenly Father, and loved unconditionally.

In a world that’s hurting in so many ways – imagine the difference we could make to those around us if we could take hold of this truth, and walk out each day of our lives in His love proudly and confidently bearing His name upon our hearts!

Let’s Pray:
Father may we all know today the height and depth of your love for us, to fully grasp who we are in you, the joy of knowing that our worth is found in You and that You have something special for each of our lives. Help us to walk out our lives daily in Your love to those around us. Amen

Picture by JAGO.