Knowing who you are is the secret to just about everything. So much of what we do and say revolves around how we see ourselves, and how we see ourselves depends on how we perceive the God. The connection might seem elusive at first, but living in victory over sin is intricately tied to our identity. When the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to "be like God," was that not about their identity? All of the sin, death, and destruction in our world are rooted in an identity issue.
The gospel, we must understand, is an identity message. God does not just provide for us a future destiny, but also a current identity. Life in this world is never ideal, but only those who know of God's goodness and understand their significance in His eyes can break free from the commonality and corruption that plagues our planet.
From Glory to Glory is a life-changing forty-day devotional journey that is broken into four primary phases. Each phase emphasizes a different aspect of our quest to find security in Christ and all that goes along with it.
Phase One focuses on the contrast between fading and lasting glory. Our world is full of dysfunction because ever since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humans have sought significance (glory) independent from an intimate connection with our Creator. Our ancient ancestors used fig leaves in a vain attempt to hide their shame, and we are no different. In contrast, our loving God has always desired to clothe us in a true and lasting glory that is characterized by substance rather than image.
In Phase Two we discover why the source of our identity matters so much. A wide array of problems results from seeking validation apart from the God who created us in His image. All kinds of sins, dysfunctions, and broken relationships find their roots in humanity's natural quest for independent glory. Even violence finds its roots in a quest for independent glory.
The third phase of our journey to personal security involves finding real significance by discovering how God views His beloved children. Not only did He create us in His image, Jesus also lowered and conformed Himself to our human image so that He might identify with us and to secure our redemption. All that Jesus did, however, was not from His own initiative, but because the heavenly Father loves us so deeply. Through the new covenant, we become full-fledged members of God's royal family. Having been chosen by God for reasons beyond our ability to grasp, we are blessed to become new creatures in Christ who have a unique ability to know the Lord intimately.
Our final phase reveals that Jesus is our only true hope of glory. Because of His sacrificial death and resurrection, God can set up a new abode for His presence to dwell: human hearts. Such a close connection with our holy Lord creates a powerful dynamic through which we discover significance in both our identity and our purpose. Our amazing Lord elevates us to heavenly significance and gives us profoundly meaningful purpose in the process.
It is imperative that we lay hold of our identity in Christ because genuinely walking with the Lord will put us out of step with the world around us--even those we are trying to help. If we do not know who we are, we will find ourselves living for the approval of others and neglecting God's good plans and purposes as a result!
Even though the glory of God's children is hidden to most of this world, the reality of who we become in Christ seems almost too good to be true. It is true, though, and through the eye of faith, we can discover significance, wholeness, and freedom like never before as the Almighty Creator clothes us with His glory. No earthly significance can compare.
