Good afternoon everyone. My sister Verla Hochstetler, and her husband Jonathon, a native of the famous Wolford ND community, now living on 40 acres of the home place in MN, called me saying she had just listened to the August 14 Focus on the Family podcast featuring Michele Cushatt who said about our identity, “I propose if you can lose it, it is not who you are!!”
Next Verla listened to my last post and found it interesting how similar they were in emphasis. Actually, Michelle surpasses my and Kelly’s initial encouragement for us to discover our true identity. When appropriately timely for you, I encourage you give it a listen for its full impact. Simply Google “focusonthefamilyyoutubepodcastaugust14.
I have included my rough grammatically incorrect notes of her presentation in the following if you prefer a quick reading……
Experienced cancer of the tongue three times, third was devastating loosing 2/3’s of her tongue…Absolutely No promises from surgeons, a 9 hr surgery… Extreme external radiation and chemotherapy…. Learned again to eat, to speak, lost 80% taste, dry mouth for remainder of her life… One year later after third surgery, an angelic 4 yr old girl asked her “Why do you talk funny?” Michele , a speaking professional had earlier traveled the world speaking and training persons to speak. You can do everything right all of your life , and in a sec it all can (will) vanish!
Now Michele asks “What about you? We all have our cancers, things that make us feel damaged, broken or different, rejected, perhaps relationships that were so important, so precious to you that went away, vanished in a moment! OR maybe you’re getting older, you look in the mirror! Ugh! And what about your faith, sometimes you’re not sure what you believe anymore?… Wherever your form of “cancer” is, that thing that happens in our life,” that disrupts everything we hold dear…. I’m guessing ingrammatically time it takes you to the point where you don’t really know who you are anymore? This is all more complicated by the culture we live in. Our culture’s basis for our identify is based on 4 things:
1. Your career – what you do, your aptitude, IQ, house, your ability to add something,
2. Role – who you are in relation to other people, mom, dad, GP, neighbor, friend,
3. Talents – something you can do better than most anyone else
4. Appearance– height weight hair color or presence, skin color, commanding presence, posture
The problem is that every single one of those things can (WILL) change—Your job, contributions, relationships, appearance, death, diminished talents…. OR maybe you’re getting older, just look in the mirror! Ugh! And what about your faith, perhaps you’re not sure what you believe anymore? Whatever your form of “cancer” may be, I’m guessing “it” will in time take you to the point where you don’t really know who you are anymore… So if we answer who we are by the above, we are on “sifting sand” & I propose something different…If You can lose it, it is not who you are!! The reality is that everything in your life can be lost.
So, where do we find the solid ground for our existence? How do we answer the “Who Am I Question?” I am quite fond of Moses, he has a long story, much drama, born a slave, destined to die, raised and educated in a palace, later at a burning bush, 80 yrs, old, thinking I’m too damaged, too messed up for a calling, too different, too flawed, but God was just getting started with him, Exodus 3:4 “I am the God of your father….. the promise.. so now go, I am sending you, Moses said “Who am I that I should go?” This is God’s answer to us, every time we ask that question He answers with (if we’re listening) “I will be with you!” God is literally telling us “It’s not about you!”
That is the first footing that God wanted to give to Moses, and to us also, to the “who am I” question. From Genesis to Revelation, there is this one consistent thread visible and that IS GOD”S deep consuming desire to be with us!” Consider a 60 second Biblical summary: Garden of Eden, a blood covenant, God dwelt in symbols, a tabernacle and temple, people came to meet with God. God came in flesh, Incarnate, God with us, the cross became that bridge, no longer have to worry about gaining access to the Almighty, because of Christ we can always be in his Presence, no more divider between us and the divine, then an empty tomb so that even death couldn’t separate us.. Jesus upon his ascension said “And Lo I am with always, even until the end of the age.. If I don’t leave, the Spirit cannot come to you” ..now it’s God’s Presence in us.. until the day we enter heaven… In heaven in God’s Presence, there is no sun and no moon because God Himself….Yes, longer than 60 sec, are you convinced? Can you see it? (the podcast is much more articulate and complete!)
The Presence of God is our first footing but God gave another answer to Moses because Moses was still not convinced.. I need more, I need some really solid references, some more ammo, some more credibility in my arsenal (doesn’t that sound like all of us?) …The Lord says “I am who I am!! I am has sent me to you! This is your second footing with God… the Purposes of God!
Presence first, His Purposes are second
Moses’s mistake and my mistake on that downtown street that day responding to the angelic 4 yr old was that Moses and I were looking for greatness within. He was looking at what he had to offer, what he could bring to the table.
Back to the burning bush, funny thing about fire. Fire can either burn or warm, can either kill or consume, OR warm and give life. The difference depends on who is wielding it. As long as Moses and you and I walk in our own purposes, you and I will be consumed. But the burning bush was not consumed because God was in it. If you and I attempt to work out our own purposes, we will be consumed by them. The only way for you and I to walk out of this life without being consumed by a “faulty identity” is to walk closely in the purposes of God. These are the two footings God gave Moses and us.
Let’s talk about footings briefly. My husband Troy builds. A “Footing” by definition is something that concrete supports under a foundation that rests on something solid and the key for a good footing is that it needs to be wider than the structure it supports.. When you and I try to look for greatness within, guess what? The footing is ourselves. It won’t hold up. The Presence of God and the Purposes of God. These are the only two footings that will prevail. That’s it. The ultra-extreme radiation and chemo pushed me to the brink of my very existence. I now know how very little I can take with me. It really is only what you send ahead!
It has been three years since the third diagnosis. I am now cancer free. We celebrate. I have scars all over my body. Things don’t work the way they used to. That is hard! However, who I am is absolutely intact! Who I am has not been compromised in the least. What I thought would be my devastation, has become quite frankly my salvation. Why do I talk funny? I talk funny because it forces me day in and day out to stand on the solid ground of God’s two footings. There is no fooling myself anymore.
I am going to ask you to do something right now. Take off your shoes. Now stand up. This is not a game. This life we’re living is not a game. It’s real and it’s for keeps. And it depend entirely how you and I walk out this journey,
This is what I want you to do. First I want you touch that Right leg. You walk in the presence of God every single day,when you get up, when you go to sleep at night. God does not sleep.. And the reason is Psalm 16:8 “because He is at my Right hand, I will not be moved! You have the presence of God at your R hand 24/7/365! Feel it. Know it. My advice is to be passionate … If you’re going to thrive in God’s uniquely personal gift of His presence and purposes, if you’re going to be the type of person that has solid ground for an unshakable life, you have to get your footings. Repeat after me “I will walk in the presence of God”
Now take your Left leg. Consider the Purposes of God. This is an ongoing challenge as we all have our agenda. But every day as I consider my left leg, I’m walking in the purposes of God, His purposes will not consume and defeat me. And only his purposes will last, will persevere! You can sum this all up in one sentence, You and I were never meant to build our own identity . Actually our identity is God’s gift to us established even before the foundations of the world where laid…. However, iit is for us to discover though (coaching/discipling has its place), and is most accessible while in God’s presence and while pursuing His purposes. No, I can’t even imagine!! Being without, that is!
When you and I leave here today, lets live differently. We must take back our Holy Ground. Be willing to confront that burning bush! Whatever the cancer! Or whatever the “cancer” was that ushered us into the very Presence of God and an appreciative understanding the Purposes of God revealing out true Identity.
Merlin speaking now, “In my case, it was the events of my entire life living for self with my obnoxious decoys strategically placed about finally culminating in being laid flat on my back three times in 30 months, even twice in a wheelchair for several months that was concluded with my auto accident on 9/18/18 where I literally may have been four feet shy of death. God is merciful indeed.”
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever would save his life would will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his own soul? Matt 16: 24-26.
Go forth now, always in His Presence and Purposes, enjoying your Identity in Christ, remembering “if you can lose it, it is not who you really are!” merlin
PS: So perhaps, we do have a bigger “identity crisis” today in the world and the church than we ever realized. I did and I admit it. Now though, we do have the necessary understanding to effect a real and enduring significant change… In us and others. No need to be shy either. Do enjoy the JOY of your identity.