Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote the poem ‘Who am I?’ from the confines of a Nazi concentration camp.   He expresses the disconnect between his confident appearance & his inner trembling.  It’s uncertainty we all know, to varying degrees.  That mismatch between who we feel we are, how we present to others & who we imagine should be.  Which – if any – is the ‘real me?’  The poem finishes:  

Who am I? This or the other? 

Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?  

Am I both at once?  

A hypocrite before others, and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling? 

Or is something within me still like a beaten army, fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved? 

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.  

Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine. 

We might not know ourselves.  But God knows us.  He knows you.   Better still, he tells us. 

Currently at church, we’re exploring the goodness of being made in God’s image.  How God’s knowledge of us is better than both what we could invent or what our culture might hold out.   

To bear God’s image means every life matters.  Every person you encounter (even those who frustrate you) is the image of God.  There is goodness in how He makes each one of us.  Our distinction as male & female is a blessing to honoured & affirmed.  We’re made & restored in Christ, that we might live for Him & His glory. 

As another poem captures the splendour & purpose of humanity well.  David writes of us, ‘you have made [humanity] a little lower than the angels, and crowned them with glory & honour’ (Psalm 8:5).   We’re glorious in His creation.  But our glory is not the end point. The Psalm is bracketed: 

‘LORD [God’s personal name], O Lord [God’s position of power], 

How majestic is your name in all the earth’  

(Psalm 8:1 & 9) 

Our glory flows from His greater glory.  Our honour elevates His fame. 

As we work through this series, there is great affirmation.  There are also uncomfortable moments.  Some aspects will be personally challenging.   A few things I’d ask us all: 

• Pray.  We need God’s help to understand the goodness of His way.  Pray that He’d speak clearly & that the Spirit would preserve the unity bought with Jesus’ blood 

• Explore.  Sermons have quite a limited scope.  Issues will need further exploration.  This e-news has a resource guide to aid deeper consideration.  In no way is it exhaustive, we hope it will get you started.   

• Discuss.  The New Testament is full of ‘one-anothering’ statements.  As the church, we speak to others in love, to build one another in maturity.  As questions of those you trust.  Be careful in the way you speak to bless, not harm (beware flippancy & triviality over morning tea & supper).   Pastoral staff are glad to talk.  But our conversation as Christ’s body that impacts. 

As we listen to Him, may we rest in His knowledge & live for His glory 

In Him 

Mark Smith (8am & 7pm)