When we make anything our Identity; Career, Relationships, Money, Church Body.. it will crush us. Ultimately those will lack and not live up to the expectation we place on them and they will always disappoint.
What kind of Identity do we need? We like to say we can name ourselves, bless ourselves, be an island unto ourselves but the truth is we need recognition, we are social beings...
we lie to ourselves when we say we don't need that...we might stand up boldly and say, "I'm done with this group or this set of people" but what we actually do is just switch for one set of cheerleaders to another.
Someone has to name you/ identify you: Christ is the Author and The Finisher of us; He wont let us down, disillusion us, wont be fickle, wont be hot or cold towards us...only when we have the adoration of one who adores us not based on performance but loves us beyond measure. We can allow our imagination to grab hold of that Love as it is so foreign to our flesh and we can make it our True Identity.
We don't need to worry about status or reputation.
True Identity is not achieved, Its RECEIVED.
* You are adopted into the family of God
* You are called a son and daughter
* You are His workmanship
* You are His beloved
* You are seated with Him in Heavenly places
Jesus doesn't name us just by calling us alone... but He died for us...He laid His life down for His sheep. This has to be the core of our life identity, what He says of us IS who we are, IS TRUTH!
When the culture says differently..not smart enough, not pretty enough, not educated enough we must pull out the Truth and move it to the front of the deck...The Louder voice needs to be who Jesus says we are, not this worlds culture, Instagram likes, Facebook watches or even what our family might say of us.
We are made of not reputation as we follow the identity of what Jesus, the pattern Son did
Philippians 2:7-8, rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross
* Father, may we be of no reputation so we don't get stuck in culture captivity or listening to the wrong power that tries to identify us. Give us the God given imagination to grasp hold of this adoration that you have for us and speak your identity over us as Truth. May this world have no holds on us but may we be Your light to expose the darkness..we exchange the lie for the Truth..we are Yours and You are ours....we are hidden in You and may all those who see us only see You. In Jesus mighty name..Amen
Tim Keller and Annaliese Mitten
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