Because of the nature of who we become when we accept Jesus as Lord, I would argue that finding yourself is even more important. When we are born again then we discover we are no longer our own, we were purchased with a great price. We are a new creation. We are ambassadors. But… who are we?
Who we are, who we are becoming is not hidden from us. We have been left a ‘user’s manual’ – the Bible. And… we have a shortcut. Obviously the shortcut only begins our understanding of who we are becoming and does not take the place of our responsibility to read the entire Bible….. many times.
The ‘shortcut’ is the book of Ephesians. For me, it jump started my understanding and appreciation of who I am. I really can’t take the credit for this approach and I don’t recall who made the suggestion. However, it does inform us of who we are becoming. Every time you read the words: in Him, in whom, in Christ put in your own name because it IS who you are becoming.
While it may sound arrogant to read your name in, this is no time for false humility. We read in John, chapter 15 that we are to abide in Him and as we abide in Him we are fruitful. And if we abide in Him then we are in Him/in whom/in Christ. But what does Ephesians tell us? When we look at the first chapter we are told we are/have: blessed with every spiritual blessing (v. 3), chosen (v. 4), holy and without blame (v. 4), predestined (v. 5), accepted (v. 6), redeemed and forgiven (v. 7), inheritance (v. 11), sealed (v. 13), the spirit of wisdom and revelation (v. 17), eyes of our understanding enlightened (v. 18), know the hope of His calling (v. 18). And this is only the first chapter!
Those 14 aspects define who we are. And if we were to spend the entirety of our lives understanding what this is, what this means, and how we are to walk in/be this then we will only scratch the surface. Regardless… in finding ourselves this is who we discover.
