Good Evening Friends!
I pray you had a great day –
It is COLD AND RAINY
here in Virginia Beach
AND –
Days like this … they get me in a reflective mood
I do not know the precise reason
Perhaps it is because there is not much more you want to do when
the weather is YUCKY
In any event
– it got me
thinking about one of my favorite children’s movies: MOANA
It is a Disney film about a young girl named Moana who has been chosen to help her people. Their island is dying. And, as part of this mission, she has to engage the assistance of a
demi-god named Maui
That part aside, it is an interesting little film –
It is one of
those movies that I stop and watch every time I see it
AND – there is one part in particular
which resonates with me for some reason
Facing challenges in their quest and dealing with Maui wanting to
abandon the mission and literally jump ship [or raft/canoe], Moana reminds Maui ‘We’re
only here because you stole the heart [of Te Fiti] in the first place’ –
to which Maui responds, ‘No we’re here because the ocean told you, you
were special and you believed it.’
THEN – sounding every bit like she is attempting to convince herself and Maui, Moana declares:
“The ocean
chose me!"
AND THEN – Maui, offering one last quip
before he leaves, states, ‘The ocean chose wrong.’
NOW –
I will not go through the entire movie because that scene right
there is what got me thinking tonight.
AND –
I started thinking about myself –
And then I started thinking
about all the other people out in this great big world tonight.
So what does this have to do with
thanks giving and the subject of identity?
IDENTITY IS
CRUCIAL – AND SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR
‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone;
behold, the new has come!’ II Cor. 5:17
Yet, people will always attempt to flip the script on you –
to even blame you for things they
have done;
or to project their issues upon
you.
Earlier on in that movie, Maui tells Moana that he was not born a
demi-god; that he was tossed into the water [discarded like unwanted garbage]
by his human parents – and that he was plucked from the ocean. However, rather
than focusing on the fact that he was rescued from a certain death-sentence, he
continued to struggle with his own identity – and projected his issues upon
Moana.
This is what happens to men and women everyday
BUT – DO NOT
EVER allow
someone else’s tainted self-image define who you are
Who you are with does not define who you are
What your enemies, family friends & associates say does not define who you are
Where you have been does not define who you are
Where you are presently does not define who you are
Where you are going does not even define who you are
NONE OF THAT DEFINES WHO YOU ARE
WHO THE LORD
IS DEFINES WHO YOU ARE
THE LORD GOD
ALMIGHTY –
and your
relationship with Him through Jesus Christ,
empowered by His Holy Spirit – THIS IS WHAT DEFINES YOU
BE CAREFUL who you allow to speak into your
life and who you listen to –
They are
likely struggling with their own demons
Choose to
listen instead to the voice of the LORD –
Which lovingly speaks to each and every one of us, reminding us:
‘Before I formed you in your mother’s womb – I knew you;
before you were born, I set you
apart; I appointed you ….’ Jeremiah 1:5
In that verse, the LORD is speaking to Jeremiah and reminding him
that He chose him and appointed him a prophet. Now, we are not all destined or
appointed to be prophets. However, we are all chosen and appointed.
UNDERSTAND – that the area or subject that
gets you fired up and causes a righteous indignation to arise within your heart
… is likely the precise area where you have been ANOINTED AND APPOINTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Your battle to maintain your identity has a MUCH BROADER IMPACT BEYOND YOUR LIFE.
There are people who have experienced victory – BECAUSE OF YOU
There are people who find strength for another day – BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE
There are people you have not even met yet,
who will be IMPACTED FOR ETERNITY – ALL BECAUSE OF YOU
If you have to tell yourself [and your audience] everyday who you
are –
YOU DO JUST THAT
BUT –
DON’T YOU
EVER GIVE UP, DON’T GIVE IN & DO NOT FORGET WHO YOU ARE IN
CHRIST!
Praying you
have an incredibly blessed evening –
Stay warm …
and dry …
FULLY AWARE
OF WHO YOU ARE & THANKFUL FOR THAT IDENTITY
Blessings & Much
Love in Christ!