Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
In the movie, The Lion King, Simba fails to take his place in the circle of life. He is the rightful king of his land but is hiding in shame, fearful of accepting his rightful sovereignty. The turning point comes when a vision of Simba’s deceased father, Mufasa, appears to him. Mufasa tells his son that he should become king. When Simba hesitates, Mufasa says, “Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are.” If the Apostle Paul had seen The Lion King, he might have quoted Mufasa when writing to the Colossians believers. If the Colossians are to fully live out the Christian way, they need to remember who they are. They are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved. When they remember who they are, then they will be ready to live who they are. Who are they? And, by implication, who are we? V. 12 discloses that we are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” First, we are people God has chosen. God wants to be in relationship with us. God wants us to participate in His work in the world. Though we enter into that relationship by receiving the gospel in faith, at a deeper level of reality God has chosen us. Eph. 1:4 says that God “chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.” Second, we are holy. This does not mean we are perfect. Nor does it mean we are outrageously religious. Holiness, in the Bible, has to do with being set apart for God. We are holy because God has set us apart from what is common and ordinary so that we might be in relationship with God as well as engaged in God’s mission in the world. Holiness involves being set apart for relationship with God and then for participation in God’s work. Third, we are beloved. The Greek reads literally, “having been loved.” Not only has God chosen us, not only has God set us apart, but also God continues to love us in Christ. This love is not dependent on our being lovable. We are not beloved by God because we have done such an amazing job of loving God first. Rather, God’s love, like God’s choosing, is an expression of God’s sovereign grace. It’s wonderful to be chosen, set apart, and loved. Many of us tend to define our identity mainly by our work: “I am a teacher. I am an engineer.” Others by family relationships: “I am a mother. I am a daughter. I am a grandfather.” Some by their accomplishments: “I got straight A’s. I am a decorated veteran.” This way of identifying ourselves is not necessarily wrong, but if they are our fundamental identity, then we have lost touch with what matters most. And what matters most of all is how God relates to us. God gives us our core identity. According to Colossians 3:12, God’s relationship with you tells you who you are: chosen, holy, and beloved. The more you remember this, the more you know who you are in Christ, the more you’ll be ready to live in His way. This Mother’s Day, be sure to remember who you are. Remember who you are! Dear Lord, may my identity be deeply connected to You and Your relationship with me. Comments are closed.
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