“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”- Ephesians 1:13
You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”- 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20
In Chapter 10 (“Sealed”) of Satisfied, author Jeff Manion mentions that slaves in Ephesus had tattoos on their hands, a seal of ownership that identified the estate and family to whom the slaves belonged. Those slaves who were Christian, the author notes, must have been stunned and deeply moved to understand that their most identifying marker was the Holy Spirit in their hearts, not the tattoos on their hands.
Pastor Manion adds hat we also have days when we simply need to remember whose we are. While God gave us earthly possessions to enjoy, our identity is not to be centered in them:
“But remember, please remember, that your identity is not anchored in what belongs to you. Your identity is anchored in who you belong to. You are his. It’s not what you purchase. It’s who purchased you that forms the core of who you are.”
Adversity can cause us to forget who we are, and we lose sight of our identity and security. Pastor Manion reminds us that as Christians, we don’t get our identities from our careers. Rather, we bring our identities to our careers.
Today’s question: During your transformational, healing journey, how can you be intentional in focusing on your identity in Christ? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “God’s endless buffet”