Ephesians 3:20-21, Psalm 52:9, Matthew 3:16-17

The second reason why we should have hope in God's name, is that it reveals and reinforces our own identity.

If someone asked you "What makes you, you?" or "Tell me about yourself" I wonder what you'd say.

Asking what defines someone is quite interesting. A good clue as to what people might say can usually be found on their 'about me' if they use Facebook, MySpace etc. Most people might start off mentioning what they do, where they live, what hobbies, music, sports teams they're in to. These maybe all factual but they still don't define who you are and I believe that this highlights the biggest issue that young people face today. It's not the conflict in the middle east, rising gas prices, global warming or inflation. It's not even issues surrounding casual sex, drugs or materialism. Those are just symptoms of the underlying issue. What is this issue? The issue is Identity: Just who on earth am I? How can I find happiness, peace and contentment in who I am, in being me?

Ever wonder why so many people are striving to be famous? There are so many reality TV shows and Pop Idol type programmes with countless more to follow. The rate it's going I would not be at all surprised to see 'celebrity strictly come bogey flinging' in the near future!

Others are desperately trying to discover just who they are through sexual experimentation in the hope that if they can just give enough pleasure or receive enough physical affection, it will make them complete. Most of us get caught up in the achieving trap. Either striving to become successful, rich, dead clever and having letters after our name, or achieving physical beauty. We allow others to shape our identity with these labels. All of those things are about impressing or pleasing others. By falling into this trap you are saying that your identity is made up by the impressions or labels of others. This happens both ways though, not just how we want to be seen by others, but how we don't want to be seen by others. So if we don't achieve fame or financial success, or aren't considered drop dead gorgeous by media's standards, we allow others to shape our identity with negative labels. Ultimately it's still putting the forming of your identity into the hands of others.

This is why God's identity is so crucial to us. He doesn't see us as how good we are at stuff, how clever, witty or sporty. He sees us in relation to who we are to him. This is exemplified by the account of Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:16-17:

'As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."'

The amazing thing about this account is that Jesus hadn't begun His ministry at this point. No miracles, healings or any of the things to follow. Nothing for people to marvel at. I believe that God deliberately chose to affirm him before all the amazing things took place because He wanted Jesus to know that he was proud and pleased with Him as His son first of all not because of what he would do.

Even though it's been eight weeks since my children came into this world, I still can't help holding them close, staring at them and feeling such a depth of pride and love for them. They are absolutely fabulous and they haven't even done anything yet! The reason I'm so proud of them is not because of what they've done, but because of who they are. They're mine, I'm their father.

What's more, even when I'm staring down at their adorable faces and they decide to spontaneously throw up over me without any warning, rather than being angry or annoyed I just feel even more for them. I'm sure that's how our heavenly Dad feels about us too when we're covered in the mess of our own doing. He loves us not because of what we've done or not done, but because we're His, He's our father. God may have many names but the one He wants us to know the deepest is Father.

My identity may be made up of lots of different aspects of my life, but the fundamental thing that makes me 'me', is who I am in relation to Him. And I am His.