And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. (2 Peter 1:15)
Our days are fleeting. If I forget who I am for a season, that time has evaporated like the vapor from my coffee cup. Peter reminded us that every breath that we are given provides us with an opportunity to live as people who are firmly rooted in our identities as children of God and shepherds of his people. When we forget who we are, we start living out of selfishness, fear, and avoidance. If I know that I am loved by the King of Kings, I am less likely to live for the approval of others. Since we all want to remember who we are in Christ, it is helpful to explore what makes something memorable.
Scripture is full of strategies for remembering our identities. Talk about your God-given identity with your brothers and sisters in Christ (fellowship). Create mental portraits that serve as reminders of who you are and who God is to you (meditation). Use ordinary things to be reminded of the extraordinary life God has called you to live (parables). Talk about who you are in Christ and who Jesus is to you (prayer). The best way to remember something is to teach it to others, so lead someone (teaching, preaching, and discipleship). Look for everyday reminders of your identity in Christ: I am a vapor, I am loved, I am fully dependent. Who are you in him?
Remember who you are in Christ.
Erin Crisp is executive director of The Center for Learning and Innovation at IWU National & Global, and a contributing writer for Annesley Writer’s Forum.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
