Thought- We will never know who we are until we know whose we are.
Scripture- “In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:5-10
Insight: In day 4 of learning to apply biblical principles to your daily life, what we are referring to as Practical Christianity, let’s consider how we apply the notion that our identity is found in Jesus Christ to real life. I mean what does it mean to say this in a World that is increasingly secular and will have no idea what you are talking about? I think there are a few ways we practically live out the fact that our identity is found in Christ: 1. We deal with situations and challenges differently than everyone else. This is our witness to a watching world, and when they see that even during our own struggles we have time to help and be concerned for others, this is very intriguing. 2. We don’t worry about status the way others do. When our identity is in Christ, we are secure in the knowledge that this is more than enough to satisfy us. The Singer Mandissa summed it up best when she sang “I don’t need my name in lights, I’m famous in my Fathers eyes.” 3. We have contentment amidst the chaos. Because we know whose we are, we can be sure of who we are, and this leads to a contentment that is not circumstantial, but rather is unshakeable. Let’s face it, there is lots of crazy stuff going on all around us in this world, but our peace and contentment can be a beacon of light to those who are struggling with fear in the midst of the chaos that is swirling all around. 4. We are different in that we see things with an eternal perspective and that all things belong to God. Therefore, we are comfortable serving, rather than being served. This alone can make a huge impact on those unaware or uniformed about the grace of God’s people. 5. We are humble people in a prideful world. When we get attention or awards, we don’t act like fools but we give credit to those who helped us get there always putting others before ourselves, To quote the great Vince Lombardy “Those on the Top of the Mountain didn’t just fall there.” We make mistakes, we own them. We fall, we get back up. We love when others hate. We are peacemakers. We criticize through creativity. We forgive, because he forgave us first. These practical applications of our identity in Christ will be illustrative to a watching world that we are different. Others will be attracted to our light, and want to know more, which then allows us to point them to Christ, the Author and perfecter of our faith.
Prayer: Lord, help us to be your ambassadors of light to a dark world. Help us to be different because others can see the love of Christ in us. Amen!
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