How would you describe yourself? What defines your identity?
Following the epic account of the first six days of creation, Genesis 2 zooms in for a close-up of the first man and woman as they opened their eyes to behold the miracle of life. The Lord God, who had just spoken light, planets, and every living and nonliving thing into existence, now changed the rhythm. It was no longer “God said, ‘Let there be …’”
The LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed
the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
GENESIS 2:7
The LORD God made the rib he had taken from
the man into a woman and brought her to the man.
GENESIS 2:22
In the intimate account of their creation, God breathed life into man’s nostrils and personally shaped the man and woman from earth and bone. The personal relationship between God and humanity became unmistakably clear. You aren’t just one more part of the natural order:
God created man in his own image;
he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female.
GENESIS 1:27
The image of God doesn’t designate just a physical resemblance. The word image literally means “icon.” Men and women represent God and relate to Him in a way that’s different from all other created beings. All human beings from Adam and Eve onward are created to know and relate to God. Each person is a unique and beloved creation of God. Look at what Ephesians says later in the Bible:
We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.
EPHESIANS 2:10
You possess a soul that enables you to know God in a way that’s different from animals, plants, mountains, and all other created things. Your soul gives you a capacity to enter a personal relationship with your Father. Wrapped up in your identity is your responsibility to represent God and demonstrate His rule and reign over all creation (see Gen. 1:28). You’ve been created for a purpose. You can trust that whatever God’s plan is for your life, you’re perfectly suited for the work.
Now you probably want to know what you’re supposed to do. What’s God’s plan for your life? The truth is that God first wants you to know who He created you to be. When you know who you are, you’ll know how to act. Without understanding your identity, you aimlessly fumble around no matter what you do.
Identity is everything. Who you are matters. In fact, it matters every day. And who God is defines your identity. Who you are is determined by whose you are:
I have called you by your name; you are mine.
ISAIAH 43:1
Before your mind starts racing toward all the things you need to do, pause and thank God for everything He has already done. Conclude your time of personal study by declaring that you’re His and that therefore you trust in His plan for your life.
The content above has been excerpted for the Defined Bible Study by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. Find out more about the Defined Bible Study, inspired by the featured film OVERCOMER, here. For additional resources by the Kendrick brothers, visit lifeway.com/overcomerresources.
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