PI DAY!

Yesterday was Pi Day.

My mathematical chums always remind me of the 3.14...........string of numbers dealing with the relation of the circumference to its diameter.

For me, it's a reason to buy a pie on "on sale" to celebrate. 

But, this year I decided to look up 3:14 verses in Scripture. Here are a few of my faves.

In Exodus 3:14, God shares His name, I AM. 

John 3:14 reminds us that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up.

James 3:14 warns against a bitter, envious and lying heart.

For self: I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

For self & others: Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

(Titus 3:14)

I is for IDENTITY

12/23/09 Organ chords of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing’’ rang out as the choir began to process along the red carpet down the aisle toward the choir loft at the First United Methodist Church in Hopkinsville yesterday. All of this was so familiar to me. Except, there was no Mr. Scruggs, or Mr. Tilley or short lady on the front row with the “big” strawberry red hair now occupying that loft, just Marian Adams looking mostly the same, but now graying.

This church with its large stain glass window above said choir loft (in memory of J. Brownell) stating, “He is not here. He is Risen” is where I began to discover my identity.

I walked that same aisle toward the altar at age 13, during a revival---somewhat unusual for a Methodist church---against my mother’s protestations too, because “we” didn’t express our emotions in public like that. Methodist became my moniker. Oh I had so much to learn. So much grace and knowledge to acquire---still do. (I need to insert an emoticon here but I only know this one---☺---have never created my own.)

Remember, I come from a small town where names like Baby, Bugs, Cookie and Junebug given at a young age still mark the identity of these folks, some of whom are now in their eighth decade. But names/labels do say a lot about who we are.

During this time of year certain names of our Lord resonate throughout church services:
Infant---the babe born in the lowly manger stable.
Incarnate One---“incarnato” Latin for being or taking flesh. He came and dwelt among us that we might have abundant life. “Hail the incarnate deity.”
Identity---“I AM”--- is the personal name for the God of Israel and Judah as revealed to Moses in the Wilderness (Exodus 3:14) In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you before Abraham was born, “I AM.”

• And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

This verse gives identity to Jesus because He reflects the identity of His Father.

May I find my identity in Him as well---called by God to reflect His Son.
Call me Christian!