“And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:17

“And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God…”

Matthew 4:3

It is the subject of poignant movies and television commercials. It is when TV dramas make parents relatable and TV sitcoms provide a touching teaching time between the laughs. It’s relatable because it is the quintessential responsibility of parents, especially with young children. The scene? Tucking your child in at night.

You know the scene if you’re a parent. You make sure the covers are all tucked in tight around your child. Half sitting on the bed, you have a brief conversation, say your prayers together, and offer one final kiss before they drift off to sleep. Or, before they pester you for the next 47 minutes for water, another story, or whatever other stall tactic their precious minds can come up with next.

I can remember being tucked in when I was a child, and I can go back to those earliest days as a new parent. My kids are old enough now that, most nights, they go to bed on their own after a hug and a kiss and a blessing. And some days I begrudgingly still go into their room to touch base and say goodnight. And sometimes I tap on their door, hoping that I’ll be invited in for an abbreviated ritual.

Science will tell you that it is the moments as you get under your covers and drift off to sleep that are some of the most significant moments of each day. Moving things from short-term to long-term memory is what your brain does while you saw logs. And these moments that are the freshest, many brain scientists believe, get transferred easiest and deepest into your long-term memory.

Whether it is a brief recap of your day or a loving embrace for a family member—these moments are freshest in your mind as you drift off. Brain science indicates that it is these most recent memories that get recorded first in the deep memory of your brain.

In short, these tender bedside moments laid a foundation for you and do so for your children and grandchildren as well. It is these moments, as you drift off to sleep, that are fundamental in helping form and shape your identity.

These days I spend more time waking my children up than I do putting them to bed. Some of mine are easier to wake up than others. And, I still regularly will sit half on their bed, rub their back for a moment, and try to stir them from slumber. Don’t worry, it quickly moves towards vigorous shaking!

Last week I was waking my Elanna. She is typically pretty easy to wake up and regularly does so with a smile on her face. I assure you, I don’t wake up with a smile on my face very often. But this morning it was a little harder to get her moving. Instead of my usually bending over to rub her back I got down on my knees. I was shaking her, trying to get her to smile, and all my other antics. Then I looked up. There on the headboard of her bed was a name tag sticker. But it didn’t say “Hello my name is Elanna” on it. Nope. It said something profoundly simple and beautiful. “I am a child of God.”

My heart melted. A simple statement. It is something I talk about a lot at church. I’ve written about it here. I’ve taught my children and do my best to live this way and teach it regularly. By the grace of God, your identity is fundamentally declared to be his—you are his son. You are his daughter. You belong to Jesus.

My hope is that this sticker is something that she reads every night she goes to bed and every morning she wakes up. Start here. End here. Not just for my girl. But for you. You are His child.

Yesterday the church celebrated the baptism of Jesus. The first verse today is from the end of this occasion. Jesus came out of the water, the dove descended and the heavens opened up. The voice of the Father declared, “This IS my beloved son….”

IS.

A declaration. And identifier. “Is” is a verb—but it is most often used as a linking verb—one that connects the object to its noun. This IS my son is the declaration, in this case, that Jesus is linked to the Father. It is a statement. There is no question. No doubt. No confusion. This IS my beloved Son…

This is what the Father declares. First about Jesus and, through baptism, about you too. You are a beloved child of God. This IS who you are.

And then the devil enters the scene. And, just as he did all the way back in Genesis 3, the whispers start to try and infuse doubt. Do you see the question… “If you are the Son of God…” What do you mean “if?” “If” sows doubt and raises questions. It disagrees with the declaration from the Father and makes you prove it; makes you question it.

The voice from heaven makes a declaration about who you are. The voice of the evil one makes you question that declaration.

Our world is consumed with questions of identity. Everywhere you turn, you see people asking and wrestling with who they are and how to live into it fully.

Remember who you are. Remember who you are. One voice makes a declaration about you. The lesser voice makes you doubt it and prove it.

Remember who you are. You are a child of God. And, if you need the reminder—might I suggest putting a name tag above the spot where you sleep.

How have you remained resolute in moments of doubt in the past?