Our Identity in Christ is Priceless!

steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

May 31

Our Identity in Christ is Priceless! Devotional Reading

Many adopted children desire to meet their biological parents, yet the need to meet or know their biological mother is usually overwhelming. Although our opinions may differ regarding the need to meet a stranger who did not raise their child, we often forget that we were created to have a natural attachment based on the foundation of love and to have a codependent relationship with our biological parents.

"Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for my glory, I have formed him, yes, I have made him." —Isaiah 43:7

We were also created to have a strong and loving bond with Jesus our Heavenly Father who created us to have a forever relationship with Him. Our prayers, Bible study, and praise and worship activities allow us to form an unbreakable bond with Christ. Through the Scriptures, we learn that we are supposed to totally rely on God for guidance through this journey of life.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." —John 15:5

With steadfast faith and experiential knowledge of the Bible, we acquiesce to God and come to enjoy our relationship with Christ based on total dependency. Through the Scriptures, we learn the role of Christ and our role in the Plan of Salvation. The immense value that God places on humanity is evident in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…"

Every believer should possess high self-esteem based on whom God says we are. Sadly, we have a very low value on ourselves because of a scriptural lack of knowledge.

The LORD [Jesus Christ] told young Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." —Jeremiah 1:5

Our spiritual status, spiritual gifts, and natural talents are predetermined by God even before we are conceived. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine" (Isaiah 43:1, last part). We are sons and daughters of the King—a royal priesthood. If we truly believe in our status with God then why do we perceive ourselves as worthless?

The compromising choices we make reflect our lack of faith in God and our internal low self-value. Because we have little to no knowledge of our Spiritual Father we focus on worldviews instead of biblical promises. The question "Who Am I?" is answered throughout the Bible. King David proclaimed, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well" (Psalm 139:14).

When our desires and plans exclude God we reveal the free will choice to reject Christ and our royal status. Our choice of self-reliance causes us to create a life of pretense—that everything is going well—to fool others. Even the proud and haughty unbelievers redefine themselves to appear as having a perfect life. Yet, their hearts are saturated with negativity and low self-esteem because they do not know who God is and the value He places on them.

Who Am I?

"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." —Genesis 1:26-28

Created with the cognitive power to reason, the ability to love, express emotions, a unique set of fingerprints and footprints, with heart and lungs that need no human intervention to function, to dream, set goals, but most importantly to have a relationship with the Most-High God. As if that is more than we deserve, we will also receive immortality and live in a perfect world when Jesus comes again.

Through prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures, our awareness of "Who am I' increases. We learn our immense value because we know that we know Jesus sacrificed His life for our redemption. God has given humanity a life with perks, angels that fight and provide protection from Satan and his evil angels along with the ability to call on God 24 hours a day, seven days a week through prayer.

We have a spiritual blueprint and a treasure map—the Holy Bible where we learn of God's loving character and His reward for the faithful and obedient righteous. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Comforter imparting spiritual strength, wisdom, and guidance from a whispering prayer asking for Divine Help.

Surrendering our will is the only way to have a solid foundation built on Christ. Through surrender our spiritual eyes are opened, and we no longer seek second-hand choices for our lives. Having a loving relationship with Christ ensures that we know our value—Sons and Daughters of King Jesus! Never again will we have to compromise by attempting to choose the best options that bring adverse consequences.

Prayer: God, we pray for those who are suffering the consequences of self-reliance. Our prayer is for the brokenhearted who have a low self-value because they have excluded You from their lives. We admit that humanity can do nothing without Your Divine Intervention. We also pray for the humility to surrender to Your will and plans. In Jesus's name, we pray, Amen.