Who Are You?

Hi, thanks for joining us for this word of encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

My name is Mike Whitmer and I wrote today's reading, Who Are You? The leader of our video conference said, Good morning. I said hello back, but I wasn't looking at him. I was distracted by my own image on the screen. Do I look like this? I looked at the smiling faces of the others on the call. That looks like them. So yeah, this must be me.

I should lose some weight and get a haircut. In his mind, Pharaoh was pretty great. Ezekiel chapter 32 says he was a lion among the nations, a monster in the seas. But then he caught a glimpse of himself from God's perspective. God said he was in trouble and that he would expose his carcass to wild animals, causing many peoples to be appalled at you and their kings to shudder with horror because of you.

Pharaoh was much less impressive than he thought. You and I may think we're spiritually handsome until we see our sin as God sees it. Isaiah 64 says that compared to his holy standard, even our righteous acts are like filthy rags. But God also sees something else, something even more true. He sees Jesus and he sees us in Jesus.

Feeling discouraged about how you are? Remember, this is not who you are. If you have put your trust in Jesus, then you're in Jesus and his holiness drapes over you.

You're more beautiful than you imagine. Today's Our Daily Bread scripture reading is from Ezekiel chapter 32, verses 2-10. Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, You are like a lion among the nations. You are like a monster in the seas, thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams. This is what the sovereign Lord says, With the great throng of people I will cast My net over you, and they will haul you up in My net. I will throw you on the land and hurl you on the open field. I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you, and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you. I will spread your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains. I will drench the land with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains, and the ravines will be filled with your flesh. When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars.

I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you. I will bring darkness over your land, declares the sovereign Lord. I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among lands you have not known. I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you, and their kings will shudder with horror because of you, when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall, each of them will tremble every moment for his life. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, for those who are burdened by sin and guilt and shame, may they rest in your amazing grace, knowing that your love and your righteousness makes them beautiful. Amen.