Pure Glory

by Hazel Straub

God created each one uniquely, with a destiny and identity. So often, the enemy comes in to steal, rob and destroy our God-given identity. Although we repeated the ditty, as children, “Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me,” this is not true. Spoken negative words from parents, authority figures, teachers, siblings, bullies, or others shaped our self-image and made us feel worthless, shamed and stupid, due to their echo in our minds. These words wounded our mind, will and emotions (heart), shaping how we perceived ourselves, stealing our God-given identity.

We did not recognize that the enemy of our souls, had come to try to destroy the treasure that God had placed inside of us. We believed a lie and shaped our identity based on falsehoods, trying to please people, not God. Then we rate our life, on circumstances, not God’s Word.

God, however, created us in his image. He said our creation was good. God gives us life, our identity and establishes our value. When we listen to his Word, we learn that our identity comes from him, not people. God says we are precious and he paid an unbelievable ransom, for us, with the life of his only begotten son, Jesus. This means we are extremely valuable.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day. (Psalms 139:13-16 MSG)

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