Identity (John 1:1-13)

John 1:1-13

^1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ^[1]

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What struck me today in the familiar opening words of John’s Gospel was the focus on identity.  The identity of Jesus:  The Word, God, Light, and Life.  The identity of John: not light, but witness to the light.  And my identity:  Child of God.

This is who I am before all other identities.  John places this in distinction from my biological identity, a child of my earthly parents.  John also makes a distinction between this identity and any identity that I may decide to take on for myself, or that any other person may decide to attach to me.  Prior and higher than all other identities is this:  I am a child of God.  I am one who has received and believed, and so has come into the light and has received the life.

What does this mean? I am who I am as a gift from my God.   This is an identity that comes from God so nothing in this life can take it away.   Think of all that flows from this unshakable identity:  My hope, my confidence, my peace, my joy.   I risk losing sight of those things when I let one of my other identities have priority over this primary identity.   So my prayer today is that I go through this day, no matter what it may hold, with the joy, peace and strength that comes from being a Child of God.

Lord Jesus, I praise you that you have given me the right to become a child of God.  Bless me that my life today would give evidence that this is my identity.

 

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 1:1–13). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.