Thoughts from a Recent Talk continued... (Part 2)
As I shared in my last post, identity matters. Identity is foundational to understanding purpose. Every day we should remind ourselves of who we are. Every day we should preach the gospel to ourselves. Every day we should ask for God's help to remember our identity.
A year or so ago, I decided to stamp a daily reminder of this reality on my wrist in the form of a tattoo. Confession: getting a tattoo was never on my bucket list. Perhaps midlife crisis has played a role? Regardless, I thought to myself that if you're going to get a tattoo, it should be purposeful. Therefore, in addition to the Micah 6:8 passage written on my foot, I added a Hebrew word on my arm to match the one Tony has on his. The word: gaal. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word gaal is redeemed as seen when God promised his people deliverance from bondage under the Egyptians,
Recall Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 2:1-10. Paul reminds the church (and us) of their former identity.
You were:
- dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked (1)
- sons of disobedience (2)
- children of wrath (3)
But God... (4)
- made us alive together with Christ (5)
- raised us up
- seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ (6)
Let's pause there for a moment. Let that fall on us anew. Let us reflect on the mercy, love, and grace the Father has worked through Jesus Christ, his son, for our good and for his glory...
If we are to pursue holiness, we need to remember who we are and what Christ has done. Every day.
Continuing on in Ephesians 2:13-18...
A year or so ago, I decided to stamp a daily reminder of this reality on my wrist in the form of a tattoo. Confession: getting a tattoo was never on my bucket list. Perhaps midlife crisis has played a role? Regardless, I thought to myself that if you're going to get a tattoo, it should be purposeful. Therefore, in addition to the Micah 6:8 passage written on my foot, I added a Hebrew word on my arm to match the one Tony has on his. The word: gaal. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word gaal is redeemed as seen when God promised his people deliverance from bondage under the Egyptians,
"I will redeem you with an outstretched arm" (Exodus 6:6)...
Recall Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 2:1-10. Paul reminds the church (and us) of their former identity.
You were:
- dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked (1)
- sons of disobedience (2)
- children of wrath (3)
But God... (4)
- made us alive together with Christ (5)
- raised us up
- seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ (6)
Let's pause there for a moment. Let that fall on us anew. Let us reflect on the mercy, love, and grace the Father has worked through Jesus Christ, his son, for our good and for his glory...
If we are to pursue holiness, we need to remember who we are and what Christ has done. Every day.
"In Him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace..."
Ephesians 1:7
Continuing on in Ephesians 2:13-18...
Remember WHAT
Christ has done
Paul reminded the church of what Christ accomplished on our
behalf through the work of the cross. In
Christ, we are no longer far off but have been brought near (2:13). In Christ, we have peace with God. There is no longer a dividing wall of
hostility (14). In Christ, we are
reconciled to God (15). In Christ, we
have access to the triune God (18). This
is good news! This is the gospel! We must remind ourselves
of this every day.
Several years ago, I was wrestling with a bout of depression. My heart was heavy under the burden of the far reaching ramifications of sin. No one sins in isolation. Our sin affects others. In this particular instance, the realization of another's sin was weighing heavy upon me to the point of great grief. I remember trying to push through it with the Word in front of me while sitting at the piano. It was the cry of the psalmist in chapter 42 that began to beckon me toward remembrance.
Several years ago, I was wrestling with a bout of depression. My heart was heavy under the burden of the far reaching ramifications of sin. No one sins in isolation. Our sin affects others. In this particular instance, the realization of another's sin was weighing heavy upon me to the point of great grief. I remember trying to push through it with the Word in front of me while sitting at the piano. It was the cry of the psalmist in chapter 42 that began to beckon me toward remembrance.
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." (v. 5)
Looking back a verse, I discovered the psalmist's strategy -
"These things I remember, as I pour out my soul..." (v. 4)
In the midst of pain, sorrow, depression, and questioning, the psalmist remembered who God was, is, and is to come. God was faithful yesterday. He is faithful today. He will be faithful. It is his character to be so. He cannot be otherwise. This act of remembering is a practice of reflecting and proclaiming truth to oneself. This side of the cross of Christ, we have been set free from sin and death! We must listen less to ourselves and preach more to ourselves this glorious gospel of grace. Sitting at my piano that day, these lyrics were formed as my soul cried out in thirst for the living God:
I will remember your faithfulness in the desert places
How you delivered me from the enemy's stronghold
I will remember Jesus
He's the one who conquered
He has set me free to live in victory
Whether the waves of depression threaten to overwhelm you or
the joys of this life tempt you toward self-reliance, remember what Christ has
done. God sent his Son to live the life
we couldn’t live, die the death we should have died, and has defeated our
biggest enemies – sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:56-57; 2 Corinthians
5:21). Remember what Christ has done!
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