Luke 2:6-7
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Recall the opening lines of Luke Chapter 2, and then read today’s passage, Luke 2:6-7.
The birth of the Savior of the world comes with little fanfare. In two sentences Luke describes the event that split human history into “before” and “after.” Divine strategies (of which they were probably largely unaware) led Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, and now Mary gives birth far away from family and community and improvises a cradle for her baby. And all of this happens quietly and in ways that seem almost mundane. But there in the ordinary and mundane lies God-in-the-flesh.
Take a moment to become still and centered. See if you can recognize the presence of Jesus in you and around you. When you are ready, think about your daily routines and the mundane patterns in your life. How are you recognizing God in these routines and patterns? Talk with Jesus about this.
Read Luke 2:6-7 again.
Not only did God enter this world in the tiny, vulnerable body of a baby, God-in-the-flesh was born in obscurity. Perhaps this was God’s way of coming near humanity without scaring everyone to death with the splendor of divine holiness, but the mundane nature of the Savior’s birth also underscores the fact that God had absolutely nothing to prove.
Jesus was the only human who ever lived who grew naturally into his true self without the angst of failed attempts at identity formation. Jesus was God from the first beat of his infant heart.
When we give our lives over to Jesus and accept his lordship over us, he lives in us and we are hidden in him. We no longer need to search for our true selves, because Jesus reveals our identity to us over time as we rest in him. We can be comfortable in obscurity or prominence knowing that neither alters who we really are.
Take some time to meditate on the words of the Apostle Paul regarding Identity in Jesus:
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4
What is Jesus saying to you about your identity today?
How will you respond to that?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
