Morning by Morning, May 11 - True Identity
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be high and lifted up, here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...
"Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when He is revealed, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. And all who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:2-3).
Now, I am Your child--a child of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, part of the bride and the body of Christ here on this earth and here in my generation. I don't have to wait until I get to heaven when I die or when You return at Your second coming. I am God's child now.
In the same way, You are already revealing who I am, what my true identity already is. I don't already see it all; I don't already see myself completely as You see me. But You are in the process of revealing my true identity to me more and more every day. And it happens as I see You as You are: "When (You are) revealed, (I) will be like (You), for (I) see (You) as (You are)" (v. 2).
I always thought of this as an end time Scripture--something to be fulfilled when I stand in Your presence after I die and go to heaven or if I'm part of that generation on the earth when You return. This Scripture includes those events--whether it's the end time for the world or just the end time for me. "Just as we have borne the image of the son of dust, we will also bear the image of the Man of heaven.... we will all be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:49-52). But I believe Your Spirit is revealing to me that this Scripture is also for today and every day between now and that day to come as well.
Already You are at work in me, revealing to Me who You are and also who I am in You. Already this Word is being fulfilled: "And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed in to the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17). Already You are pulling back the veil for me to see You and see myself as I truly am. And who I am is a child of God, being conformed into the image of the Son of God more and more every day, as I keep seeking You and You keep revealing Yourself to me (Romans 8:29).
Come, Holy Spirit. Keep opening the eyes of my heart--"so that, with the eyes of (my) heart enlightened, (I) may know what is the hope to which He has called (me), what are (my) riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe, according to working of His great power" (Ephesians 1:18-19). More and more every day, may "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give (me) a spirit of wisdom and revelation as (I) come to know Him" (Ephesians 1:17).
It has not yet been fully revealed to me just who I am and just who Christ is, but You are at work in me doing just that. By the power of Your grace, give me "a mind to understand, eyes to see, (and) ears to hear" along with the faith to believe it and receive it (Deuteronomy 29:2). I am God's child now (1 John 3:8). Let me see that in myself and let me see that in the children of God around me, being conformed into the image of Christ as we all see with greater revelation who Christ is, who we are in Christ, and who Christ is in us. "Christ in (us), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). More and more every day, let me "see what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are"--our true identity (1 John 2:28). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My friend, I pray you will see more clearly every day who Christ is, who you are in Christ, and who Christ is in you, knowing the revelation of your true identity as a child of God, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
(a photo taken during a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in our worship on one of my ministry trips overseas)
Tommy Hays' 365 Day Prayer Devotional
Morning by Morning, 2nd Edition
"A Deeply Intimate Journey with Jesus"
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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