Who Are You? by Martin Wiles

“Where do you work?” “How many children do you have?” “Are you married?” “Where do you go to church?” All questions others will use to gauge my identity.

If I tell them I’m a teacher and preacher, they’ll consider me a professional. If I tell them I have two children and am married, they will assume I’m a dedicated family man. And if I tell them where I attend church, they’ll assume I’m religious, live morally, and believe in God.

But all of the above answers don’t actually tell who I am at the root level. My identity is not discovered in what I do, what I possess, or the earthly relationships I enter into. Rather, it’s found in Christ. Even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 2:5 NLT).

I once was dead. Dead in sins and trespasses. Sin is not a popular topic. In fact, we’ve invented more politically correct terms for it. A mistake. A problem. A character flaw. Anything but what the Bible says it is: an affront to God’s holy nature. Though I walk around and appear alive, in my spirit I’m dead and separated from God with no hope. 

The news, however, isn’t all bad. In fact, it’s exciting. With Christ, I’m alive…truly alive. After receiving his forgiveness, I’m alive for the first time. I can live with a clear conscience knowing God and I are on good terms. When I stand before him, he’ll say “Welcome home my child.”

Fortunately, I don’t have to wait for heaven to enjoy abundant living. I can enjoy life to the fullest in the present as I revel in his love and forgiveness.

Who am I? I’m God’s child. How bout you?

Prayer: Thank You God for making it possible for us to know who we are when we enter a relationship with You.

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