Remember Whose You Are / Guest Post by Jeff Boettger

“Remember Whose you are.”

If I recall correctly, I first heard those words come from my mum’s heart and proclaimed as I left for grade 12, or 12th grade. My hockey aspirations and faith journey had propelled me to a crossroads of leaving home for the first time, and I remember my father, mother, and brothers standing on the concrete porch waving goodbye.

But you were washed (cleansed), you were sanctified (made holy), you were justified (made right with God) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

That day, I reflected while I drove down the long, straight, and intermittently hilly roads on my way toward school, passing the canola fields intermixed with the ‘bush’ of the north. It’s quiet up there… minimal traffic to navigate and loads of time to reflect. Sure, I was super excited about the next step, but if I’m honest, a bit sad and scared of leaving the nest and wading into the unknown. The seas of yellow canola were almost as ripe as I was for pondering life. So, ‘Whose’ was I? Was Mum referring to being a Boettger? I think that this was part of it… but knowing Mum (and Dad too), she was going much deeper. Knowingly or not, she wisely planted in my mind and spirit a statement that has served as a plumb line for my life. Jeff, REMEMBER WHOSE YOU ARE. This was a deep encouragement, also a challenge, and now that I think of it, possibly an edict!

So… whose was I?

At that point in my life, I was 17. I grew up in the church in various denominations and affiliations, but ultimately those that professed Jesus as Savior and Lord of humankind. I made a profession of faith at age 8 at a family Bible camp, but just as most young people do, I dabbled in the pleasures of the world until my own sin brought me pain that served as a strong wake-up call. It was then, at that fork in the road, that I called out to Jesus, honestly and humbly repented of my sin, forgave others for theirs, and submitted my life to Jesus, learning what it is to walk with Him. There is a longer, more detailed story here, but the point is I was totally set free, 100% forgiven, and felt such peace from the love and grace of God!! 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9) 

I didn’t deserve God’s grace, but that is exactly what grace is—undeserved. He accepts me (us) as I am, setting me free from sin and death, and then embarks on a journey with me/you, changing us from the inside out. What a GREAT, GOOD, GRACIOUS, AND GLORIOUS GOD He is! That is an important next step… knowing who God is. For you cannot remember whose you are unless you’ve come to a place of confession of sin, then proclamation of Jesus as the substitute for us as Savior and Lord. From here, you will learn over a lifetime who HE is, and this is a magnificent journey. So, building upon my mum’s encouragement to ‘remember whose you are,’ may I encourage and challenge you to:

Remember who HE is—know Him!

Now in my 50’s, I’ve enjoyed continuing to share life with a group of guys via a ministry called Pure Encouragement. A big part of that enjoyment has really come from being reminded of what I’ve learned about who God is, His character, and hearing it in different ways. The key points from ‘Influencers, The Journey,’ as we spend 9 months together, are all about seeing who God is through Jesus and the truth of God’s Word. Building on the foundation of grace, the Word reveals God as:

Knowing everything about us. (Psalm 139)

• Caring deeply about all those things He knows about us, as a shepherd cares for his sheep. (Psalm 23 / Isa. 40:11 / John 10:11,14 / Heb. 13:20)

• God is willing to help us in all these things. (Ps. 66:18–20 / Matt. 21:22 / Luke 18:9–14 / John 14:13–14)

• God is fully able to help us in all our needs. (1 Cor. 1:24 / Ps. 68:35 / 1 Kings 9:4–5 / Phil. 2:13)

There are many stories where I look back on my life and see God’s amazing faithfulness to me, to my family, and to His continued work in our lives. I can trust Him in all things because His words are true, and I’ve experienced His love and grace in loss as well as gain. You can too! Just call out to Him—He will meet you where you are and with exactly what you need. If you need to excavate this to a deeper level, do a search on the names of God and what that reveals—He is so good!

Knowing who God is will give you confidence to walk daily in submission to His will and purpose. It will give you unshakable confidence, for you are a new creation and:

Jeff  Boettger lives in Lynchburg with his family and serves as an Athletic Director within the Club Sports department at Liberty University. In his role, Jeff is passionate about investing in student-athletes, helping them grow not only in their sport but in character, leadership, and purpose. He is committed to creating an environment where competition, community, and faith come together to shape the next generation of leaders.