Our Identity

As I was preparing for children’s chapel for Ash Wednesday, I came across a sentence in one of the children’s Bibles reflecting on Luke 4:1–13, the account of Jesus being tested in the wilderness. It said, “Jesus prayed and connected with God and with himself.” That simple line stayed with me.

Jesus was not only connected to God; he had a clear understanding of who he was. He knew his identity. And because he knew his purpose—what his life was about—he was able to maintain his integrity even under the most severe circumstances. Hunger did not define him. The temptation of power did not drive him. He was not compelled to prove himself by testing God. Jesus knew he was God’s beloved Son, and he trusted that love. His relationship with God was not merely intellectual; it was rooted in identity.

I believe our identity guides our actions. It shapes our priorities and gives direction to our lives. When we know who we are and whose we are, we are less likely to be swayed by every desire, fear, or temptation that comes our way.

On Ash Wednesday, I explained to the children that the cross we draw with ashes on our hands or foreheads reminds us of our need for God—and of the God who created us, loves us deeply, and forgives us. In the middle of that explanation, one child called out, “It is also drawn in our hearts!” He even wanted the cross placed on his chest, over his heart. We agreed his forehead might be better for the sake of his clothes—but his words lingered with me.

They brought to mind the promise in Jeremiah 31:31–34, where the prophet speaks of a new covenant. God declares that this covenant will not be written merely on stone tablets but engraved on human hearts: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”

What that child said so beautifully is what the prophet proclaimed long ago—and what Jesus embodied in the wilderness. Faith is not only something we wear on our foreheads; it is something written within us. Our identity as God’s beloved is not an external mark but an internal truth.

When God’s love is written on our hearts, when our identity is rooted in being God’s beloved children, we are strengthened to face our own wilderness moments. Like Jesus, we can resist the temptations that try to redefine us, because we already know who we are. The cross on our foreheads will fade, but the cross engraved on our hearts endures—and that is what ultimately guides and sustains us. Therefore, during this season of Lent may we all find ourselves in connection with God so that we can stand boldly and courageously in times of difficulty just as Jesus did.

Pastor Tae Park