Promise:
You are the child and heir of the king of the universe.
Passage:
We all have multiple roles and identities that we play in our families of origin, at home, at work, and in the community. Often a job loss will be accompanied by a loss of identity. Who are you if you aren’t the leader of such-and-such or the vice president of so-and-so company? This can be especially true if you have started your own business or worked for a highly-prominent brand which carried its own cache.
But you have a bigger and more permanent identity.
When you believed and professed faith, God made you His child (Galatians 3:26, John 1:12, 1 John 5:1). An heir of the kingdom of God (Galatians 4:7, Romans 8:17, 1 Peter 1:3-4, and Revelation 21:7). Lavishing us in love (1 John 3:1). And as children we can be led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14), living out of our identity as God’s chosen people, with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). We are God’s special possession, declaring His praises (1 Peter 2:9). You his daughter and his son and are not orphaned (2 Corinthians 6:18 and John 14:18).
Practice:
Art can be a powerful way to experience truths about God. The Bible is full of poetry and descriptions of spectacles that illustrated God’s nature. You need to look no further than the sunset painted against the sky tonight to see God’s own artistry.
Below is a painting that illustrates two aspects of the identity of Jesus. Fully man and fully God. In flesh that was able to be mocked, pierced, and broken for us. In spirit that is eternal and without ceasing.
He began his life on earth in a manager in Bethlehem (the Roman empire’s newest taxpayer already reporting for his first census) and it “ended” 33 years later in a shameful criminal’s death on a cross. But, these were both temporary identities. His true identity, as Isaiah foretold, was “wonderful counselor, almighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace” (9:6). Peter rightly identified Him as “the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15).
As you look at the art, pray for God to speak to you through the image and the symbolism that is portrayed.
Note the details of the crown of the thorns. How real they were. The pain they could inflict.
Consider also the shadow, always present, of the royal crown. A royal crown laid down willingness to sacrifice himself for us.
What else jumps out to you?
Pause:
Focusing on the scriptures above and this image, ponder the following questions.
· What are all your various identities? List out all the roles that you play in your home, family, community, church, or business environment. What titles or descriptions have been on your business card, LinkedIn profiles, Christmas cards or correspondence, government-issued IDs, email signatures, exercise leader boards, social media headlines, or the like?
· What was Jesus’ earthly identities? How many of them overlap with your own?
· What is your true identity?
· How does that change how you think about your assignment in this time of transition?
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