Who am I?

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11-12 The Message

Who am I? What am I living for? I remember asking myself these questions in my early twenties. And going searching in all sorts of interesting places to find the answers, including a new age festival. 

Thankfully, just as this scripture says, Christ had his eye on me. He had a plan. Gradually I lifted my eyes to see Him. And since that day when I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour, I have been on a continual journey of understanding more about who I am and what I am living for. 

I know I am His. I am a child of God. I belong to God.

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you in greater (mightier) than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 AMP

Isn't that something we all yearn for - to belong? At school, we want to belong to a group of friends. At work, we want to belong with our colleagues. In our community, we want to belong somehow, whether in a sporting group, a service group, an interest group. Even in church, we want to belong to a group. We want to be connected.

Connection is great. It is part of God's plan for us to be connected with others. But we have to be careful that we don't let our membership (or non-membership) of a group, determine our identity. Our identity comes from Christ alone. 

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NLT

And from that identity, comes our purpose.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 1:9 NLT

Thank you Jesus, that when we know You as our Lord and Saviour, we can truthfully answer that question, Who am I? Thank you that as we progressively understand more about who You are, we understand more about who we are, and what You have called us to do. Please help us to stay true to You in all we do. Thank you that your grace is sufficient for us every day. Amen.

And we [have seen and] know [positively] that the Son of God has [actually] come to this world and has given us understanding and insight [progressively] to perceive (recognize) and come to know better and more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true - in His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). This [Man] is the true God and Life eternal. 1 John 5:20 AMP