Our identity is who we are.
It is made up of our appearance in the physical realm and our thoughts in the spiritual realm. Put the two together plus how we act based on our physical and spiritual make up and you have an identity. When you first meet someone you are struck by their appearance which can speak volumes but to truly get to know a person you need to observe their actions and understand their spiritual make up.
We must first understand that we belong to God as He has told us in Exodus 19:5 that “all the earth is mine”. The notion that somehow you can separate church and state and all the implications that come with it is nonsense. The only separation that is possible is one whereby you either believe in and follow God as revealed to us in the Bible or you choose not to follow 
Him but rather some substitute that will literally lead you to a ‘dead end’.
I choose to identify with Christ and in and through Him is the essence of my identity. Romans 8:18 is one primary reason which is the present and future glory that is mine when I do so. There is a saying that when a mother is expecting a child she displays a certain ‘glo’. I would suggest that as devout Christian believers we should be emanating that ‘glo’ as well.
To identify with Christ and have my identity in Him also means that I must be crucified with Him which is to say I must live the life of Christ (Galatians 2:20). All our thoughts, words and deeds must point to Him and honor Him. We may fail at times but we must understand why, repent and return to Him.
Finally much like mentioned earlier if we endure, through what will likely be some very difficult trials as we stand up for our faith, we will reign with Christ for all eternity (2 Timothy 2:12). That is the proverbial ‘icing on the cake’. The question I then leave you with today is if they (those you touch in this life) WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY YOU if someone asks?
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Identifying with Christ requires casting aside our indifference to God and taking on His image.
DEVOTIONAL VERSE FOR TODAY: Exodus 19:5 “necessary for identifying with the one true God”.
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Lord I find my identity in You.
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:
1. How does your person-hood ‘speak volumes’ about you?
2. Are you experiencing and displaying ‘the glo’?
3. In what ways have you been crucified with Christ as spoken of in Galatians 2:20?
4. How will you be identified?
*** Gary Jerke *** Is a former State Representative, author and Life and Liberty News contributor
