11-15-2025         Do You Know Who I Am?

(DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM  (2011)

                 

This song/poem is about a person from childhood to old age and his/her relationship with God.  It was inspired by the lullaby ‘Hush, Little Baby’, which is thought to have been written in the Southern United States. The lyrics are from the point of view of a parent trying to appease an upset child by promising to give them a gift.   Its origin is not clear but Cecil Sharp, Endicott, Franklin County, Virginia, collected and notated a version in 1918.  Varying versions surfaced between 1929 into the 1940’s.  The song has been performed and recorded by many artists including Joan Baez, Burl Ives, Regina Spektor, Nina Simone, The Weavers and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Additionally, the song has been adapted into pop songs such as Maurice King's "Hambone", Inez and Charlie Foxx's "Mockingbird" and Bo Diddley's eponymous song "Bo Diddley", as well as Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma's "Hush Little Baby" and Eminem's "Mockingbird".  Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Etta James, Taj Mahal and Dusty Springfield have each recorded "Mockingbird", which is an R&B variant of the song.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush,_Little_Baby).

 Consider this song/poem as Father talking to us.  ‘Do You Know Who I Am’

 Refrain  (The refrain is intended to be sung after each verse)

 I look in your face

And I wonder, my child

Do you know who I am

Have you any idea who I am?

 

Hush little baby, don’t you cry

You daddy is near, I’m standin’ by

I’ll clothe you, I’ll feed you

I’ll hold you always near

I’ll help you, I’ll guide you

So don’t you ever fear

 Refrain

 How quickly you grow, you’re growing strong

I know it’s soon, it won’t be long

I’ll fix your hurts and comfort you

Soon you’ll spread your wings and learn to fly

But remember the things that I do

I’ll always be there, by your side

 Refrain

 Now you are grown and living your life

Facing happiness, joy, trouble and strife

Decisions are tough, confusing at times

But ask me please, you’re still my child

I’ll guide you, direct you, the pleasure is mine

I’m here to help, all the while

Refrain

The breeze caresses a weathered face

Times and trials survived by grace

As we walk in the twilight sun

Memories sweet and hand in hand

Reflect on the things, the things we’ve done

I ask you now, do you know who I am

(Refrain )

I look in your face

And I wonder, my child

Do you know who I am

Have you any idea who I am?

 

Now compare this poem with chapter fifteen (v11-32) in the gospel of Luke.  Do we see any similarities? 

In the prodigal son, the Father give his youngest son his inheritance and allows him to go out into the world on his own, knowing what the lad might face.  The son experiences life outside of his father’s realm, he eventually realizes that doing things ‘his way’ weren’t such a good idea after all. He decides to ask his father to receive him back into the family.  He returns home and apologies for what he did and is received with love and restoration. 

Luke 15:11-32

King James Version

¹¹ And he said, a certain man had two sons:

¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

²⁰ And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

²¹ And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

²⁷ And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

²⁸ And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

²⁹ And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

³⁰ But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

³¹ And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

³² It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Father says that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:8).  Paul also says that Jesus said that He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).  When the Father and Son are in agreement, how can we possibly go wrong?  The bible says that a thing is established by two witness (Deut. 19:15, 2 Corinth. 13:1).  Enough said?  Job said “I have heard about You by the hearing of the ear” (Job 42:5 …)  God considered Job a perfect and upright man (Job 1:18-19, Job 2:3), but after Job and God had a ‘little chat’ (Job 38:1-41:34), Job said “but now I have seen you with my on eye” (… Job 42:5).  In other words, Job came to understand and know who God really is.

Do we think that Job thanked God for his troubles or was he thankful for God bringing him through all those troubles?  And when God blessed Job (Job 42:12-17), how grateful do we think Job must have been?  When situations come upon us, do we thank God for seeing us through those tough times?  How grateful are we when the smoke finally clears and we receive the blessings Father has for us?

How many of us go through life knowing ‘about’ God but never take the time to ask Father to lead us through the scriptures and/or really sit down and talk with Him as a friend?  Do we just say “Here it is …Thanx for t his, thanx for that, and then see ya later”?  When we talk with our close friends, do we truly listen to what they say?  Or do we interact with encouraging words?  Or vice versa?  Does Father deserve any less?  Moms and dads, when we explain something to our children, are we proud of ourselves because we set them straight’?  Or do we even really care that they understand what was said so they can grow from the experience?  Our heavenly Father does care and He works with us so we can grow (Col. 1:9-10), 2 Peter 1:4).

Communication is a two-way street.  We talk they listen and when they talk we listen.  Again, does the Almighty God deserve any less?  Along with other things, Webster’s defines communication as an exchange of information.  So do we talk “at” people or “with” people?  Do we talk ‘at’ God or do we talk ‘with’ God?

Father does talk with us through His written Word, but His desire is to speak with us “face to face”.  Or should I say heart to heart?  That is, we shouldn’t treat Him as an “it” but as “who”.  We are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).  God is love (1John 4:8) and He expects us to live in His image.  We can hear and see.  Father hears and sees and understands.  He is a compassionate God and when we approach Him with a true and humble heart, He takes us by the hand (Spiritually), helping us as we go.  

Even today, do we yet understand who Father truly is?  Father has feelings just as you and I.  My God!  He has created feelings!  Do we thank Him for all that He has done for us?  Are we grateful that He has loved us so much to care about us?  Even by taking our sins and placing them upon Himself on the cross!  It is difficult for a man to give his life for his brother or friend, but Jesus took our sins even when we weren’t acknowledging Him! (John 15:13, Rom. 5:8).  Are we following His example?  Do we thank Father for all He has done for us?  Do we show our gratitude for who He is?  Are we truly living in His image?

Thank you Father for all that You have done for me and help me to show my gratitude by living in Your love.

Amen 

11-1-2025           What Jesus has done for us

             

A man had just completed a gospel concert before a moderate crowd.  Several staff were around the stage front and an invitation to receive Jesus was offered.  The man, spent from his presentation, went to the side of the stage and sat on a chair which was waiting for him to use if he needed it.  A crowd started gathering around the workers but a young boy came over to where the man was sitting “I want to receive Jesus.”  The man said “son, are you sure for what you are asking?”  The boy replied “I want to receive Jesus!”  “What’s your name, son?”  “Johnny.” “Johnny, may I ask you a couple of questions?” “Sure.” 

Do you know the first four words of the bible?  “Something about God.”  Yes, ‘in the beginning’ God.  That means that before anything happened, before the heavens and the earth were created – God existed (Gen. 1:1).  The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (a liquid, but more than just H2O) (Gen.1:2).  The Spirit of God is also His breath, just like you and me (blow out). Then God began speaking (Gen 1:3-31).  “When I am speaking, do I express myself in words?”  Johnny responded “Yes.” So God spoke words, just like us and creation started lining up just as God directed.  Do you believe this Johnny?  “Yes.”   

Now, the first six words of the Gospel of John begin “In the beginning was the Word”.  We know that God spoke words, right?  “Yes sir.”  John tells us that the Word was with God AND that the Word was God (John 1:1).  So, just like you and me, Johnny, God has breath, He can speak Words and He has essence, He exists.   If Israel were to ask, God told Moses to tell them ‘I AM’ sent him.  I AM means ‘I exist’.  God has three parts just like you and me.  We have a body, we can breathe and we can speak.  However, the bible tells us that God is Spirit (John 4:24) so His body is a little different from ours, He always was and will always be. He’ll never grow old and die (Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:11).  John also tells us that the Word of God is he light of the world and the light is Jesus who has come into this world so we can become God’s children (John 1:8-11).   That’s us, Johnny!  “Wow!”

Now, God wants us to know that He knows what we go through, each and every day.  So, He came into this world through Jesus.  No earthly father, yet bon of a virgin (Mary – Isa. 7:14, Matt. 1:20-23).  God spoke everything into existence, so it was no problem to speak life into Mary and bring Jesus into this world.  So Jesus lived as one of us for thirty years, showing us that we can live for God, pleasing Him in what we say and do.  Then, for the last three and a half years of His life on earth, Jesus explained to us how we too can live in God’s will (read the gospels, read the whole bible). 

Do you believe that what Jesus did, He did for you and me?  What did He do?  He allowed Himself to be arrested (Matt. 26:47-56), brought to trial before the Jews (Matt. 26:57-75) and then to the Romans, where He was beaten with a whip and taunted (Matt. 27:1-31).  After all this, Jesus was physically weakened so the Romans forced a man named Simon to carry Jesus’ cross (Matt. 27:32).  Now, just as Simon carried Jesus’ burden before the people, the cross to Golgotha, God allows us to carry the burden of Jesus before the people as we share God’s Word and love with those whom we encounter.

We know everybody sins (Rom. 3:23), so Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross so we could be cleansed of our sin (1 John 1:7). 

Finally, on the cross, when Jesus died. Yet, at the moment Jesus drew in and exhaled His last breath, the veil in the temple was torn in half, top to bottom, the earth shook and rocks were broken (Matt. 33-51).  The importance of the veil was that only the high priest could enter into the presence of God (in the Old Testament) that is into the Holy of Holies (Lev. 16:1-34, Heb. 9:1-10), But Jesus opened that doorway to all who would believe on Him (Heb.. 9:11-28) that we would have direct access to the Father, Himself, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We have to believe that as Jesus died on the cross, He also rose from the grave (John 20:1-16) because Jesus says that He’ll come back for us one day we know can be with Him forever (John 14:3).

Do you believe this, Johnny?  “Yes!”   Then profess these things which you believe.  Then confess Jesus with your mouth that He is now your lord and Savior and thank Him for cleansing you from your sins (Rom. 10:9-10). 

Jesus also tells us that if we love Him, we need to keep His commandments (John 14:15) and His commandments (John 14:15) are actually one but in two parts – love God above all else and our neighbor as much as we love ourselves (Mark 12:28-31).  We love God because He first loved us then we love our neighbor as ourselves UP and OUT. 

“Okay!”  Johnny knelt asked Jesus into his life. 

Now the man was not a pastor so he added: Okay, now go tell your pastor what you have done and receive water baptism, as the cleansing with water is an outward expression of the cleansing which Jesus has just has done in your heart.  Oh, and Johnny, don’t forget to talk with God (pray Phil. 4:6) every day and ask Father to help you read your bible everyday so he Holy Ghost can lead you into truth and understanding (John 14:16-18, 2 Tim. 2:7).

May the Lord bless you richly!

Amen