It's Who We Are

It's Who We Are

“This is what I was, this is who I am, this is who I will be.”

What do you remember as the first thing you wanted to be when I grow up? Do you remember why you picked that vocation or identity? As you stepped into adulthood, you may have acquired many roles or identities: worker, leader, boss, student, friend, spouse, provider, parent, aunt or uncle, grandparent, and more. The more we experience in life, the broader and deeper our identity becomes. This includes negative aspects as well as positive. Through it all, Jesus sees a bigger picture for your life. Read about it in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NIV):

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf:  Be reconciled to God.

Let’s use bullet points to emphasize the important actions described here:

• Through Christ we have become a new creation.
• The old is gone.
• The new is here!
• God reconciled us to himself through Christ.
• God gave us the ministry of reconciliation which is to share the Gospel message with others.
• We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors (spokespeople), as God reaches out to others.

We were in need of reconciliation. God reconciled us through Christ. We have mission from God to share that Good News with others.

What does this identity as reconciler entail? Love God, and love others. Demonstrate the love God has for all people. Be prepared to explain the new identity you have through Christ with joy and hope.

It’s simple but challenging. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the identity God planted in us grows, deepens, and impacts not only our lives, but also the lives of others.

It’s what we were meant to be when we grow up!

4832 Ponderings:

Think about the three life descriptions listed at the beginning of this blog: “This is what I was, this is who I am, this is who I will be.” Personalize them. Describe you were, are, and will become.

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”   Ephesians 5:1-2