I remember when Facebook first started. It was one of those seemingly faddish websites that was sweeping college campuses, and I refused to be a part. Eventually, my sister convinced me to register – she was sure it would be the key to keeping our communication intact over the 1016 miles that separated us while I lived in Chicago.
Now seemingly everyone is on Facebook or some social networking site. I have to ask the question: Is this whole online personality thing really just a better way to communicate with our friends, or are we seeking to validate our existence by returning to our “Profile” page? Do we really know who we are, or do we need a website like Facebook to ensure we actually have an identity that is accepted by others?
How many of us with an online identity have sat in front of the computer and had to work at trying to figure out who we are and what we believe just so we can fill in the prompted places on our profile. And how about the times where we’ve had to go back to the profile screen to change something or add something because we don’t agree with what we first put in? Is there a deeper issue here? Is there something missing in our search for ourselves that leaves us with empty screens and empty hearts at the end of the day?
Perhaps if we could simply set aside our online identities for a moment and learn more about God’s identity, we would find out who we are by learning who God is. God doesn’t need to make His presence known just so other people (or even himself) can be assured that He actually exists. God is dependant upon no one, so we should be dependant upon no one but God.
True identity is found in Christ, not on a website. I believe I can know who I am by knowing the great I AM (Exodus 3:13-14)
Let me pray for us: God, You are perfect and you know your own perfection well. Please help us to better know you so that we may have better insight into ourselves. You don’t have to guess your identity. We do. You don’t have to imagine a better you, but we do. You don’t have to deal with regrets of your past, but we do. You don’t ever have to make yourself known to others in order to validate yourself, but we do. Help us. We abandon ourselves to you and your perfection so we may be complete in you in spite of our imperfection. Amen.
