1 Corinthians 9:1-14
Be Still: Lord, I give you this day and specifically this moment. Help me shift my attention away from the distractions of life and toward you and your presence. (Pause for a moment, close your eyes, and breathe) Come, lead me and guide me today. I invite you into the depths of my heart.
Read: 1 Corinthians 9:1-14
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? (v1)
Encounter: I wonder if you know who you are—not just the surface-level stuff, like your name, who your parents are, or what you do for a living. Not even just your hobbies, interests, and passions. Do you truly know who you are—whose you are—deep in your soul?
Paul’s questions here are not because he doesn’t know the answers; he’s not searching. They are rhetorical declarations. He is abundantly sure of his freedom, liberation, and identity in Christ. I think Paul’s confidence in his identity is one of the things I love most about him and his teachings.
More than this, Paul isn’t boasting in an arrogant way: he’s boasting as an encouragement to others. He knows that the liberation, freedom, and identity he has in Christ is for all believers. He understands the power of an individual fully owning and embracing the identity won for them on the Cross.
Our readings this week have encouraged much self-reflection about our walk with Jesus, his love, and his grace for us. The key, kept until this final reading, is this: what fully empowers us to faithfully follow Jesus in a way that honours God—the thing that unlocks our hearts to fully accept Jesus’ love for us—is understanding and embracing our identity.
We are children of God, bought at the highest price. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit. We are co-heirs with Christ, inheritors of the Kingdom. Embracing these truths is a lifelong journey, but every step we take releases more of the fruit of the Spirit into our lives and communities.
Apply: Search yourself. Ask if there is a lie you believe about your identity. Reject it and ask Jesus to speak his truth over you instead.
Devote: Father God, thank you that you are my Father. Thank You for the incredible identity I find in you. Help me today to have a greater revelation of who you say I am.