Now He (Jesus) also spoke a parable to them: “A person who is blind cannot guide another who is blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?

Luke 6:39

I gave up social media a long time ago (a very odd choice for someone who spends the work week doing marketing activities). Sure, I miss out on photos and news posted by friends and family, but I’m also not being force-fed a bunch of garbage on the daily—taking up the space in my mind that should be focusing on all things true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Plus, that visceral, addictive need to check for likes/reactions/posts is just not on my radar anymore. (If you find yourself waking up and reaching for your phone, glancing at every notification even when you’re in a conversation, and being distracted by said pings while driving, you may want to consider a social media hiatus. Just saying.) It’s been almost four years for me…and I can say, I’m definitely a lot happier.

So, in that regard, I don’t “follow” people anymore. And as I was reading Luke’s gospel, a brief statement from Jesus got me thinking about the whole idea of following—whether it’s social media, podcasts, books, or pulpits. His message in chapter 6, verse 39 was clear: If someone who is blind to Truth follows someone else who is blind to Truth, it won’t end well for either of them. (He was referring to the Pharisees, because He actually calls them “blind guides” to His disciples in Matthew 15:14—and to their faces in Matthew 23.) The parable in Luke 6 was part of a longer message from Jesus about what it means to call Him Lord, which held all kinds of counterculture (and counter-religious) exhortations that were likely very shocking to His listeners. He was redefining what it means to love others. He stated plainly what it looks like to love others (even our enemies) like God loves us, and he warned not take on the judgmental attitude of religiosity. And following Him, He said, meant doing what He said—which sets your life on a solid foundation (vs 46-49).

For us today, three significant “following” considerations come out of this:

1. We must discern if the people and things we follow are blind. Is it Truth, solidly based on God’s Word? Are the messages that spring from those sources for our good and God’s glory? If the people we admire and follow (from influencers to pastors) are blind to Biblical Truth, we’re headed for a great fall.
2. We’ve got to know the Truth for ourselves, so we’re not blind! Stating the obvious, a blind person doesn’t know they’re following another blind person. We’ve got to know Truth by knowing God’s Word to recognize that we’re following lies.
3. If we’re following Jesus, we’ll always be going in the right direction. Of all the people and things of this world (even pastors and theologians), we have to start by following the only One who’ll never lead us astray—Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus keeps us moving in His direction. Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we walk with the Lord in the direction of holiness and righteousness in response to our salvation. 

It’s so tempting to follow hard after the popular blind guides of today’s culture. The road is wide and filled with enticing, shiny things. But it only leads to the pit. Following Jesus is a much narrower path and requires trudging through crowds moving in the opposite direction. But this leads to true satisfaction, joy, and life. As my pastor often says, “You can’t be a follower of someone and stand still.” So, friend, who/what are you following—and where’s it leading you?

Jesus, help me abandon chasing after the things of this world that promise life but only lead to destruction—and may I follow hard after You.

“People are to call on God vehemently, and they are to turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”  

Jonah 8b-9

I’ve got some mind-blowing news for you: You’re not God. Neither am I. 

But we try to be sometimes, don’t we? Sure, as followers of Jesus, we may surrender certain parts of our lives to the Lord…but often, we hold tight to situations/struggles/difficulties. We say to ourselves, “I’ve got this under control—I can figure it out.” 

As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that workin’ for ya?” Take it from a self-confessed control freak and problem-solver, the answer is not so well. I’d get into tug-of-war matches with God over parts of my life—He’d pull gently at first to get my attention, but the more I’d pull back, the harder He’d pull. Not gonna lie, there are a few times I’ve ended up face first in the mud, in a bit of pain. But thankfully, He kept pursuing His Lordship in my life, and I’d finally yield to it. As my walk with the Lord has progressed through the years (along with the intensity of life’s challenges), I’ve become much quicker to recognize Who is in control. And it isn’t me.

At other times, we do relinquish control to God, mostly because there’s no particular action we can take to change the situation or solve the problem we’re battling—we start in that place of helplessness. So, we pray like crazy…and we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same. After all, Jesus Himself said to keep on knocking (Matthew 7:7-11)! We trust, we believe, we have faith—we know that God is Sovereign over everything. We look back on all the miracles He’s done in our lives, all the answered prayers, and we rest in quiet confidence. For a minute. Then, when things don’t change for the “better” in our preconceived timeline, we frantically assess the situation again and think, “OK, prayer is good, but what else can I be doing? Maybe not enough people are praying. Maybe I don’t have ‘enough faith’—maybe God doesn’t understand how I need this thing to go.”

Friend, God is Sovereign. He created the world and everything in it. He knit you together in your mother’s womb and breathed His Spirit in you. And, yes, we live in a broken and fallen and very dark world. A world with cancer, natural disaster, prodigals, death. But God is not only Sovereign, He WINS. And as believers, we live from that victory, not working for it. Yes, we pray! We must! But in the model prayer that Jesus Himself taught us (Matthew 6:5-15), there’s a key phrase: Thy will be done.

God’s will—not ours—is always the best thing. And it’s always for His glory and our good. Even when it doesn’t feel that way or we can’t comprehend all the “whys” in our tiny brains. Most importantly, we cannot base our trust and faith on circumstances or outcomes—those conditions we place on God: “God, if you heal him, I’ll believe!” Our trust and faith—and our eyes—must stay on the Perfect One. No matter what. Take it from three boys who worshipped the Lord, refusing to bow down to a statue of the king’s image. They could have easily avoided punishment by simply putting their faces on the ground—even if in their heads they were worshipping the One True God. But they didn’t. Even when the king threatened to throw them in a fiery furnace if they didn’t comply, they answered in a way that is a key lesson for us all: “God is able to rescue us. But even if He doesn’t, we’ll still worship Him.” (Daniel 3:8-25).

We even have this example from the evil, torturous, horrendous king of Nineveh—a king and people who did unspeakable things to every enemy nation. When the prophet Jonah told the city to turn to God or they’d be burned up, they believed! But what’s really striking is the faith response given by the king—a response based on Who God is, not the city’s circumstances or outcome: He told the people to repent from their evil ways…then he said, “Who knows, God may not destroy us” (Jonah 3). 

This is faith. God is God, we are not. We trust Him and His will. We obey, we pray. And even if things don’t go as we’d want them, when we want, we still trust, obey, and pray. After all, who knows? Well, God does.

Lord, let me trust You at all times, regardless of what my eyes see and my mind perceives. You are God.

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:26

The book of James, especially chapter 2, can be a real challenge for believers, often causing some confusion about the nature of salvation. But there is no contradiction from Jesus’ half-brother James as compared to other New Testament writers—or to Jesus Himself. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Period. Through faith, we believe upon Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31)—and we surrender to Him as Lord. This latter part is key. We don’t just believe with head knowledge and keep on living the way we want, fulfilling our desires to glorify ourselves. Even the demons believe (James 2:19). Belief also isn’t just about emotional highs, like after an awesome worship set or weekend retreat. Feelings shift like sand and do not set a solid foundation for living. Instead, our faith in Jesus changes everything—because He changes everything about our life.

With all this in mind (and heart and soul), we do! We respond to God’s grace by demonstrating our faith. 

First, believers are to love on another. Jesus tells us that by showing love to one another, other people will know we are His followers (John 13:35). It’s easy to think, “Yeah, I can do that—love my family, friends, other believers.” But Jesus also commands that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-38). Ouch. This is where “loving others” transcends human capacity and requires the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit living in us via our salvation.

And we serve others. Old and New Testament alike exhort us to care for those in need. Yes, we pray. But whenever possible, we act (James 1:27). During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught in a very straightforward way that when we tangibly care for others, we are caring for Him (Matthew 25:31-46). We can’t just stand to the side as casual observers…we’ve got to get our hands dirty. The cool thing is that God gives us each spiritual gifts and unique personalities to fulfill our specific role of the Body of Christ (the Church)—so serving others will align with our passions and abilities, thereby bringing us immense joy as we serve others and glorify God (1 Peter 4:10-11).

Finally, we give generously. Everything we have—every good gift—is from God! All our money belongs to Him, we’re just His financial managers. And we’re called to be cheerful—literally, hilarious—givers (2 Corinthians 9:7). We extend generosity to others out of the generosity the Lord has lavished on us. Now, although we don’t give to receive, like some Name-it-claim-it preachers might tout, there is resulting joy and blessing to be received in the giving. 

Bottom line? We are saved by grace through faith—not by doing good works. But, once surrendered to Jesus, our new reality (our freedom in Christ, our transformed nature, our unearned favor) will move us to do good. So, let’s get out there and do.

Lord, in our surrender to You, we are transformed. May we respond to the grace You extend by loving, serving, and giving for the good of others and to Your glory.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).

Ephesians 2:4-5

Don’t you love a good visual aid? Maybe it’s some awesome presentation graphic that allows you to quickly grasp the lecturer’s complex point. Or those illustrated assembly instructions that show you step by step how to build your latest furniture purchase. (We could have a long discussion of the quality and nature of said instructions, but suffice it to say, we’ve all seen a wide range of clarity!) Whether you’re the teacher (giver) or the student (receiver) of a concept, having an image to refer to helps you understand, remember, and explain it.

Since becoming a believer, fully surrendering my life to Jesus Christ, my primary go-to scripture was Jesus’ healing encounter with the blind man (John 9). Not only was this my eye-opening, eternity-changing, gospel revolution, but it’s a clear and simple concept to share with others: I may not totally understand everything about the Christian faith, but I do know that “though I was blind, now I see. (John 9:25). So, what do I see? Well, no matter how hard I tried to fill that God-shaped hole in my soul (and heaven knows, I tried everything), my pining was for peace with God—the righting of a relationship with Him that is broken because of sin. And we can never be or do good enough to fix that! God requires perfect righteousness, and that’s impossible for us. But God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life and then die the death we deserve—paying the penalty for our sin. Then He rose again, victorious over death and sin, making a way of reconciliation with God (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 2:18-20). You and I don’t have to work for or earn this saving grace—it’s a free gift! This, dear friend, is the gospel. 

And, because I do love a good visual aid, I got a tattoo about 15 years ago that testified to the gospel. It exclaims: “I am paid in full.” But the word is in Greek, which I thought would instigate all kinds of opportunities to share the Truth of Jesus. Yeah, doesn’t really happen. But, for me, it was a necessary permanent proclamation in stark contrast to my first tattoo, which I designed to illustrate the lie I used to believe, that all world religions were just different paths to God…who, ultimately, is you. (This was all well before the “COEXIST” bumper sticker was a thing.)

Over the past few years, as I’ve been diving deeper into the Apostle Paul’s epistles and other New Testament books—and as my walk with the Lord has also been deepening—my understanding of the gospel and my own story continues to solidify (called “sanctification”). Yes, I was blind, and the Lord opened my eyes to the Truth. However, the older I get in my faith, it’s also gets clearer and clearer to me that I was not just blind—I was dead (Ephesians 2:1). I was darkness—not just in darkness (Ephesians 5:8). A walking dead person in this world and destined to be eternally dead (and suffering) outside the presence of God. When we give our lives over to Christ, we are made new—we are brought to life and to light (Ephesians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Now, I love me some Apostle Paul for a gazillion reasons. But I have a special affinity for his book to the Ephesians. Particularly chapter 2, verses 1-10. It not only shares the gospel (we are saved by grace through faith, not by works), but it beautifully tells of my story—and yours. We were dead, and now we’re alive in Christ! And it all hinges on one of the most beautiful phrases in the entire Bible: BUT GOD. 

A new illustrative depiction started forming in my mind. It went through many iterations, various church-notebook sketches. But then I landed on something and wasn’t able to let it go. So, now I have a new visual aid on my right upper arm. It is my story. It is the gospel. And it’s all because of the rich mercy and great love of God. Like any good visual aid, it lends to understanding, remembrance, and explanation. And whether or not people ask me about my new tattoo, I pray it gives me the boldness to share its Truth with the multitudes of walking dead around me.

Lord, whether saved at age 5 or 55, every one of us has a story like the blind man who was healed by Jesus. May we have the boldness to share Your great love, mercy, and grace with others—with or without a visual aid.

Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.   8:36

John 8:36

Freedom. As we celebrate Independence Day, we all certainly think about this concept. And no matter your political persuasion, we are in fact citizens of the freest nation on the planet—and we express our gratitude with amazing fireworks displays, from handheld sparklers to sky-brightening explosions of color. The liberty we enjoy is truly a privilege not to be taken for granted.

As Christians, we possess another kind of liberty. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, surrendering our lives to Him, He makes us free. We are released from our bondage to sin (Galatians 3:22). See, because of the Fall, we have a sin nature—a propensity to be self-seeking and idolatrous. You may hear the sentiment that humans are “good”…but we don’t have to teach our small children to lie or be selfish, now do we? Our kids—like us—are just little sinners. (Romans 3:23). But God made a way.

When we’re set free in Christ, we certainly don’t become sinless. We just don’t want to sin anymore—we don’t pursue it. We’re no longer slaves to sin, fear, and unrighteousness. We become slaves to God, pursuing holiness as we traverse toward our heavenly destination (Romans 6:22). And through the challenges and fiery trials of this life (because they will happen), we can freely approach the throne of grace with confidence, bringing our fears, anxieties, and burdens to the Lord (Ephesians 3:12).

The question is, are we walking in our freedom? Through the tumult of work, kids, health issues, social media, etc., do we recognize that our feet are no longer stuck in the mire of despair, discouragement, and worry about our circumstances? Do we renew our minds in the reality of our liberty, and grasp on to the joy, hope, and peace promised us in God’s Word? In our freedom, do we choose to serve others and glorify God instead of serving self?

One day, we’ll no longer struggle with our sinful flesh—we’ll have no more sorrow or pain (Revelation 21:4). But even now, we cannot forget the truth of our liberty in Christ. It’s an attitude of freedom, despite our circumstances. An acknowledgement that we have overcome because Jesus paid for our freedom. We may perceive to have shackles around our wrists and ankles…but, friends, they are unlocked! 

Americans are blessed to have our current liberties in our nation. Most cultures around the world certainly don’t share in this. But—praise God—true freedom isn’t provided by any government or legislation. The Son makes us free.

So, let me ask: Are you free indeed?

Lord, let me never take for granted the freedom You gave me through Your sacrifice on Calvary. Help me drop my chains of sin and shame and walk with You in liberty.

Let your light so shine before others, so that may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Have you seen, heard, and experienced it, particularly over the past three years—ever-expanding, like a growing mold? Apathetic indifference (at best) and narcissistic malice (at worst). In the workplace and marketplace, on campus and online. Human interactions are not what they used to be. (I’m not talking 50 years ago, mind you, just five.)

Millions of words could be written on all the “whys” of this apathy/meanness phenomenon—and they have been. So, this is not about that. What we’re going to focus on here is our call as followers of Jesus Christ to be different. In a world that’s getting darker as Satan’s time gets shorter, believers are meant to be light (Matthew 5:14-16; Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15-16). What does that mean? According to Galatians 5:22-23, walking in light and truth means living a fruity life—in the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Pretty much the exact opposite of today’s cultural norm. 

But, friend, of course it’s different from the world! Only through the power of the Holy Spirit in us can we exhibit these holy qualities—in our own power, it’s really, really hard. And to be honest, there’s usually some self-serving motivation behind it when we do. Again, another story. 

So, let’s get practical. First, pick a fruit, any fruit. Then, with a yielded spirit, just do it. Not only will this simple surrender open the way to more and more Holy Spirit control in your life for your good, it will also glorify God in a big way. And it will be blindingly bright amid the darkness around you. Plus, just as flipping on the light switch in the middle of the night tends to wake someone up from a deep sleep, so can shining your light open the eyes of the walking-dead around you…opening up an opportunity for you to give a reason for your fruitiness (1 Peter 3:15).

Take kindness, for example. It always surprises me what a shock it is to others when they experience even a modicum of kindness. The other day, as my husband was returning our shopping cart to the parking lot corral, he happened to collect a few others on the way, clearing them from the various “I’ll-just-leave-mine-here” drop-offs. As he walked back to our car, the man next to us was watching him with an awe that rivaled him witnessing a rescue from a burning building. Then he said to my husband, “Man, the world needs more kind people like you.” Boom. Light on, difference made. Now, my hubby didn’t approach that guy and take him through the gospel in that moment…but he let his light shine and glorified God in the process, and who knows how it may have changed that man’s attitude/actions the rest of the day. 

I have a lot of examples of this around each of the fruit—as I’m confident you do as well. (I also, sadly, have plenty of examples of exhibiting the opposite of some of those fruits, which only showed my “unsurrendered”/fleshy parts. But we’re all on that sanctification path on our way to glorified perfection—as long as we’re moving in the right direction, it’s all good!) So, let’s use each moment of living out this holy fruit like it’s a good workout: with repetition comes strength to do more. Again, it’s not our own strength we’re developing here though, it’s the strength (control) of the Holy Spirit that we are yielding to. One act of kindness may seem as insignificant as the small flicker of a match. But in a pitch-black room, even that tiny flame can show the way out of the darkness.

Lord, I surrender fully to You today. Show me opportunities to let my light shine in this dark world. And let me yield to the Holy Spirit to empower the words and actions needed to glorify You.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

Outside of Christian circles, the word “steward” is not often used in today’s vernacular. Basically, it means “manager”—a steward looks after, directs, and oversees the use/distribution of goods, services, and people belonging to their boss. Within the Church, the term is a bit more common. Christians are called to be “good stewards” of what the Lord has provided. Our family, money, talents, spiritual gifts, etc., have been given to us by the Lord. And it all belongs to Him—we just manage it. He gives to us, and He takes away from us…and through it all, we are to bless and glorify Him (Job 1:21).

During church services you’ve been to, you’ve probably heard pastors calling the congregation to be “good stewards” as it specifically relates to financial giving. Again, totally makes sense: It’s all God’s money anyway, and we’re to share what we have for the sake of the gospel, the good of others, and God’s glory.

But have you ever thought about what it means to steward the single greatest gift given to us by God: our salvation? What does it even mean to steward or manage our salvation? First, salvation is, in fact, a gift given to us. It is extended to us by grace through faith. We don’t work for it, earn it, or pay for it—this way, we can’t brag about getting it through our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9). Next, when we surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior, we belong to Him: We are His possession, called out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). And at salvation, we’re given the power of the Holy Spirit living in us so that we can bear fruit, be light in this world, boldly proclaim truth, and battle the god of this world. (By the way, we don’t fight for victory over Satan, we fight from a place of victory!)

A family, friends, and good job is great. Talents and spiritual gifts are awesome. And money comes in pretty handy for sustaining our own life and helping others. All gifts from God. But all these can fall away (and will, actually), with salvation standing as the greatest—and eternity-altering—gift from above. So, we’re not meant to lock it up and selfishly protect it like a valuable, prized possession we could lose. Salvation IS valuable and IS prized (and we cannot lose it once it’s ours!)…but instead of turning the deadbolt and standing guard, we’re to spread it around. When we share the wealth of salvation—the truth of the gospel and the Great Exchange of Christ’s righteousness for our sin—we actually come away with more: more hope, more peace, more faith, more joy! 

What about you? If you’ve accepted the amazing gift of salvation, how are you stewarding it? Are you burying it in fear of loss or persecution? Are you sitting comfortably with it, because now that you have it, you’re good to go? Or are you managing this precious gift by telling and showing others how the grace and love of God can be theirs too? 

Lord, may I be a good steward of my salvation, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ—the hope, peace, and joy found only in Him. 

“One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.”

John 9:25

We started attending a new church not long ago. It’s pretty incredible. For thousands of reasons. And, although I’ve already jumped into serving in a variety of ways, I’ve been experiencing an impatience and antsiness lately. It’s hard to explain…but let me try.

My husband and I are in the stage of life where our kids don’t live with us (and, sadly, they’re not nearby). Like many of you (because of geographical or emotional distance), our church people are our family. And, although we both work full time, we’ve got a lot of time on our hands. So, our hearts are to serve the Lord—not to earn His favor, but in response to His love and grace toward us. 

For me, I just want to do God’s will for my life—dig daily into His Word every day, glorify Him in all I do, and SERVE…the quandary, though, is that I don’t know where or how He wants me to serve in this new church. Now, please know that it is an understatement to say that this church is on fire. The Lord is doing mind-blowing things, and it’s awesome to watch. And, like a horse at the gate, agitated to bust out and race, I’m anxious for the Lord to say, “THIS is where I want you…go!” 

But He hasn’t said anything like that. My sweet sisters in Christ have counseled me to “wait on the Lord” and “be still” to hear from Him. And that’s where I’ve tried to be—but more confusion swirls up in my head. Anybody else been there?

While in prayer with Him, the Lord reminded me that I am to use my testimony. I didn’t surrender to the Lord until age 30, so suffice it to say, I was pretty lost. And my sanctification story for the past 25 years has also not been rainbows and butterflies. He has walked (carried) me through some very, very hard times. I couldn’t imagine coming through those storms without Him. Then, my response was, “Yes, Lord! I need to use these things in ministry—because otherwise, these testimonies are wasted…so WHERE? HOW?” I land back where I started, and more confusion sets in.

In sharing with my husband (and with much emotion), I said, “Why is this so hard? It’s ultimately simple: I was dead, and now I’m alive.” His response was a mic-drop moment. “You’re muddled and anxious and antsy because, for the enemy, those are the most dangerous words.” Boom. 

Satan comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants people to stay lost, blind, dead. This is a win for him. And he wants to steal joy and contentment from those he cannot destroy (believers). By muddling and confusing those of us who have been reconciled with the God of peace—keeping us from experiencing the peace of God—he keeps us quiet and ineffective. And although he cannot take our salvation, he can certainly take us off course from the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

My church has myriad ministries in which to serve: protecting the unborn, special needs, foster care, first responders, human trafficking—just to name a few. But no matter where I (or you in your church) choose to serve, the purpose is always ultimately the same: go, love, and share the good news of Jesus. And the message is clear: “I was dead, now I’m alive in Christ…and you can be too.” 

So, let’s get to it—and remind Satan that he has already lost.

Lord, we love You because You first loved us. And we serve in response to Your gift of salvation to us. Remind us daily to seek opportunities to demonstrate Your love, mercy, and grace to others.

I shall remember the deeds of the Lord.

Psalm 77:11

We often hear the exhortation to not “live in the past”—especially when it comes to basking in those glory days of youth. Sometimes, though, we dwell on the hurt and brokenness of our past…and it’s tempting to wallow in the “comfort” of pain, like a pig in the mud. Both of these approaches can keep our necks twisted and eyes looking back—so much so that we can miss the now and what will be.

As a follower of Christ, our past (BC—or “before Christ” life) holds a paradox that can trip us up. Are we to let go of our past, not dwelling on where we’ve been and who we once were? Forgetting what lies behind and only strive toward what’s ahead (Philippians 3:13)? Well, no and yes. Let me explain.

The Bible has a lot to say about this topic. Are we supposed to forget/let go of our past? According to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3: 4-9, yes. See, before Paul surrendered to Jesus, he was all about earning his own righteousness (he was incredibly “self-righteous”). He had every reason to have confidence in his background, abilities, previous actions to earn favor with God. But, once he accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior, he counted his impressive past as dung/rubbish. He didn’t need it. The value of knowing Christ allowed him to let go of all those efforts to earn God’s love and embrace the gift of grace. So, we’re to forget about our past efforts to “do more good than bad” and earn our way to heaven. Only through Christ are we made righteous.

But we also need to remember and hold on to our past.

First, like the healed blind man in the gospel of John, we need to be very clear about one thing: We were blind, and now we see (John 9:25). Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived a perfect life yet took the death penalty for our sin, and rose again in victory—making a way of reconciliation with God. Again, it’s Paul (this time in Ephesians 2:1-10) who reminds us to remind ourselves: We were dead, living for our own desires, satisfying the flesh in the ways of the world; BUT GOD, rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ by His grace—a gift from God, not by anything we’ve done. Then he says in verses 11-13: Remember, you were separate from Christ, without hope and without God. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Don’t forget your past because you are a miracle of God! BUT, because we are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:16-17), we’re not to wallow or celebrate our BC life either! (Ah, another paradox in and of itself!)

Next, throughout the Old and New Testament, we are told to remember all the works of God in our lives. It may be shocking, but life after accepting Jesus is NOT all lollipops and sunshine. (Things will probably get a lot more challenging.) But the Lord fights for us (Deuteronomy 20:4). He is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). Through every trial and testing, He walks with—or carries—us, and He is our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). And we must rehearse every miracle, every answered prayer (Joshua 4). Whether He calms the storm or just keeps us calm in its midst, let’s remember that the Lord is near to us (Psalm 145:18; James 4:8). 

Our past is important to who we are—especially who we are in Christ. But what to do with it is not really an enigma. We’re to let go of some things and hold fast to others. The litmus is simple: Does it glorify God? Then hold on. And tell others. 

Lord, my story is Yours. Use Your work in my life to testify to Your goodness, grace, mercy, and love—glorifying You and drawing others to Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

It was only a few years ago when the vast majority of people in our culture would not have uttered the question, “How do you identify?”—we couldn’t even imagine what that would have meant. Today, though, this question is not only understood by people of all ages, but it’s being pushed as normative. (Some even demand it be a requisite inquiry—because any assumptions are otherwise seen as “hateful”.) And the potential answers? Well, that’s something else altogether…boys say they’re girls, girls say they’re boys, some say they are neither…or both (that’s for today, though, and it may change tomorrow). Or someone could tell you they’re a “furry”—a cat, dog, or some anime character. Yup, Satan is having a grand ol’ time confusing young people, dividing families, and creating emotional and psychological misery that’s leading more young people than ever to consider suicide.

Humans, however, are all made in the image of God—Imago Dei. “Male and female, He created them” (Genesis 1:27). And you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), despite the filtered looks of those whom you emulate or how social media “friends” react to pics you post. 

Even more amazing, once we surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior, another wonderful thing happens at that moment: We become a new creation in Christ—the old has passed, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

But is this how we identify as we walk through the world? Or, although a Christian, do we still battle with who we were before, identifying ourselves as we were pre-salvation?

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t come to Christ until age 30. And, until that time, I was definitely living according to my flesh—doing what felt good and trying to satisfy the God-shaped hole is my soul with everything but God. Not that anyone asked how I “identified” (again, that wasn’t a thing), but there were definitive characteristics I could have used: drunk, promiscuous, drug user, party girl. Of course, all these came with another set of associated identities: ashamed, burdened, humiliated, weary. Ah, then…but God. Being rich in mercy, because He loved me, even when I was dead in my sins, He made me alive with Christ, by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:1-10). Now, although I immediately became a new creation, taking on the righteousness of Jesus while He took my unrighteousness, it would have been easy to glom on to my previous self-identifiers. I could have put on my “Christian” nametag, while maintaining some or all of my other labels.

Think about your own walk with the Lord…how do you identify? Although you love Jesus, are you “angry”, “addicted”, “burdened”? Oh friend, you must correctly self-identify! Remember who you are in Christ: You’re chosen by God and adopted as His child (Ephesians 1:3-8); you’re redeemed and forgiven of all your sins (Colossians 1:13-14); you are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10); you’re free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2); and you’re a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). 

The enemy of your soul loves to hiss condemnation in your ear, wanting nothing more than for you to forget these truths—and stay shackled to your past (in self-beliefs or behaviors). But, beloved, you have one true identity: You are who He says you are.

Father, I stand firm in my Christ-bought identity as a child of God. Help me walk confidently according to this truth, despite the world around me shouting otherwise.