who are we? {part 4}

Welcome to the last installment of this series on identity.  Actually, there's a lot more to be said on this subject, but as it pertains to 1 Peter 2:9, God led me to keep this series relatively short.  For the previous posts in this series, just click on the tag "identity."  :o)

First, let's review the verse that has served as our focal point.  I know I need a quick review since these posts have had more space between them than I intended!

"But you are a chosen race, 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).

In this last section, we'll delve further into the idea that we are "a people for God's own possession."  After considering our role as the "chosen race", the "royal priesthood", and the "holy nation", this one sounds a bit more personal, doesn't it?

My oldest sister has six kids.  She had a girl first, followed by three boys and a girl who naturally got more and more curious about their older sister's stuff as they got older (the sixth kid is still technically a baby, but I'm sure he'll be the same way once he's mobile.  Aren't all kids?).  In a house with that many people, you end up sharing mostly everything.  But in the past couple of years, the rule of "the treasure drawer" has been established to maintain some sense of privacy.  My niece reserves the top drawer of her dresser for what she calls her "treasures"; her camera, drawings, journals, and other special things that her younger siblings are not to touch.  Everything else outside that drawer is understood to be shared, but the items in her treasure drawer are for her alone, and a sibling can only have access to them with her permission.  This idea caught on quickly...now the younger siblings have treasure drawers too!

That's how we are with God, in a way.  He views us as His treasures, despite our appearance or shortcomings.  Like frayed or torn coloring book pages, we might also be a little rough around the edges.  But God sees our value, and reserves us for a special place where no one else can touch us without His permission.  Sure, the enemy can mess with our circumstances; God may allow some hardships to come our way and it may seem that we've been stolen from the drawer and left in a dusty corner somewhere all alone.  But we never lose that "treasure" status with God, as long as He is the Lord of our lives.

Although my niece's treasures are safely kept in her drawer, she still takes them out and uses them.  She snaps pictures with her camera, reads her journals, or shows her mom pictures she's drawn.  But she still watches over them and protects them the entire time they're outside of the drawer to make sure her siblings don't misuse them.  It's the same with us.  There's intimacy, security, and comfort to be had in that treasure drawer, but we are also called to serve God outside of it so we may "proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."  We are here to glorify God and to testify to His goodness and mercy, and we can do that in a variety of ways, whether it's witnessing to someone who's searching, preaching a sermon, or simply going to work every day because God has called us to that job to provide for our family.  And the entire time we carry this purpose out, we are still in God's hand.  He still protects us as if we're safely hidden away in a drawer. No one has access to us without His permission.

If something is "for your own possession" and is extremely important to you, you're going to guard it with your life and make sure it doesn't get lost, stolen, or misused.  God sent His Son to die for you and has called you "His own possession." Sounds like you're pretty important to Him, huh?

As we end this series on identity, I'll leave you with two questions to mull over.

1. Do I truly understand my identity as one for God's own possession, as one of His very precious treasures?
2. In what ways do I proclaim the excellencies of God?

Thanks so much for reading.  I know this series helped me to better understand who I am in Christ.  I pray it did for you too.  :o)