By Katy Mariotti

Identity in Christ

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

^“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:16-17, New International Version

I have had dogs my whole life, but this is the first time I’ve had a dog that requires grooming. Our dog, Hagrid, has the sweetest black curly fur and looks just like a muppet. But when it starts to get too long, it gets matted and can stop him from being able to see clearly, as well as cause other problems like collecting bacteria and covering the pads on his paws making it slippery for him to walk. Grooming is a necessity!

When he comes back from the groomer, it is always a bit jarring. Our little shaggy mop suddenly has super skinny legs and a face that resembles a bat. In my heart I wish he could stay shaggy always, and I wait impatiently for his hair to grow back out again. But at the same time, we discovered we love the groomed Hagrid just the same as the shaggy one. He’s still snuggly, he still does a little howl when he gets excited, and his bat face is so cute that last year we got him some bat wings for Halloween.

I think sometimes we feel we’ve lost our identity. When you define yourself one way and then that way disappears, it’s easy to feel lost. Maybe you’re not in the job you wish you were. Maybe activities you used to love aren’t things you do anymore.  Maybe something has been suddenly taken from you that you really thought was YOU.

While it’s easier said than done, it’s important to remember that our identity does not actually come from any of these things. It’s not our job or activities or even the way we look. Our identity comes from Christ. Instead of viewing ourselves from a worldly point of view, as it says in 2 Corinthians, we can remember that we are a new creation through Jesus!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado