Receive it.
·
Meet Cartoon.
She is the most adorable and loving 15 year-old I have ever
met.
I noticed her the first week of doing ministry in the slums.
She was standing off to the back not wanting to be noticed. I immediately
invited her to play volleyball with me and she lit up.
6 weeks later she is the person I have been able to pour
into the most. I love spending time with her, teaching her English, meeting her
family, getting our nails done and hearing about her heart. I love seeing her
lead the younger kids in the slums, how she looks out for her younger sisters.
Last week I was in
the slums and she called me her “older sister”, my heart was so encouraged.
Now whenever I spend time with her I love telling her who
she is, who I see her as—a beautiful and loved daughter of Jesus.
I walk to the slums with the mindset of “today I get to be
Jesus to Cartoon” and it makes me so excited.
I see her and tell her “Cartoon, you’re so pretty!” she
replies shy and humbly “No no no”.
“Cartoon, you are getting so much better with your English!”
she replies again “No no I only speak a little”.
“Cartoon, you are great at volleyball!” she replies “No I
don’t ever play”.
“Cartoon, you are loved!” she looks at me and smiles then
takes my hand to go play another game with her.
My heart hurts. I become frustrated. I ask God: Why won’t
she believe me? Why doesn’t she trust that I know her and truly believe these
things about her? Why won’t she let me just be Jesus to her and speak these
things to her heart so that she might be encouraged and loved?
He replies: This is how I feel when you don’t believe the
things I tell you, Alex.
This is who Jesus says I am:
·
I am alive in Him. (Ephesians 2:5)
·
I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians
5:17)
·
I am a friend of Jesus. (John 15:15)
·
I am a joint-heir with Christ. (Romans 8:37)
·
I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and
word of my testimony. (Revelation 12:11)
·
I am a partaker in His divine nature. (2 Peter
1:3-4)
·
I am an ambassador for Christ. (2 Corinthians
5:20)
·
I am strengthened with all might according to
His glorious power. (Colossians 1:11)
·
I am loved by God almighty. (Romans 5:8)
·
I am a daughter of the king. (John 1:12)
I read these, and even more verses like them, and think
“Really God? You believe that about me?” as if it seems too good to be true.
BUT it is true, 100%, all the time. I know that if Cartoon
walked in the truths about herself she would be more free to be herself and
love the people around her. That same thing is true for you and me. If we laid
down the lies we believed about ourselves and honestly believed the truths that
God speaks over us, even screams over us, we would walk in so much more power.
Why do we write these truths the He says about us off? We
throw them away as if they are empty and without proof. When in reality, the
cross screams these things and is enough proof for eternity that we are dearly
loved by the King of kings.
Believe these things about yourself, it feels hard and
challenging, but is vital to your identity and the power God wants you to walk
in.
Pray for Cartoon to have this realization. Until then, I get
the incredible honor to speak for Jesus into areas of her life. What a
privilege.
