Your You Is New

I have borne several social “identities” throughout my life. Vocationally, I’ve been a trainee, VP, and retiree; a teacher, blogger, and author, as well. Relationally, I’ve been Duke’s boy, Peggy’s husband, Matthew’s dad, and the kiddos’ grandpa. There have been others — some reflecting decisions, affiliations, and character traits, perhaps. What about you, how have you been known, be it now or at different stages of life? How we are perceived along the way is highly individualized, our persona formed throughout our journey.

So I find it fascinating that the God of all creation would declare His own being in the context of us, His created ones. To Moses, He yoked Himself relationally to the Hebrew patriarchs who preceded him: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”¹ In a brief preamble to the Ten Commandments, God defined Himself again, this time in terms of His past works on His people’s behalf: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”² God embraces us, even to the point of identifying us in context of Himself, and declaring Himself in relation to us. Such intimacy! Such intentionality! What commitment.

What then must we conclude but that our true identity is anchored not in our moments, whether “good” or “bad,” but in God’s timeless love and grace, which surpasses all? David writes, “From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.”³ In turn we ask, who does the “I AM” — this timeless One — say that we are? Who are we, really? God tells us through His Word:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”⁴
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”⁵
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”⁶
“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”⁷
“For we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”⁸

Who else has God made you to be? What else does His Word say about our new identity in Christ? If additional Scripture comes to mind, share it with the rest of us. And know this: We are defined by who we are in Christ and by the work God, through Christ, has done in us. May we live in the freedom of new identity.

Father, You have put us in Christ and made us Your own. Fill us that we would live fruitfully in this freedom, knowing we are loved, that we are Your own. In Christ we pray. Amen.

¹ Exodus 3:6 ESV
² Exodus 20:2 NIV
³ Psalm 90:2 NIV
⁴ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
⁵ Isaiah 43:1 ESV
⁶ Romans 8:16-17 ESV
⁷ Ephesians 5:8 NIV
⁸ Ephesians 2:10 ESV