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Read: 1 John 3:1
Listen: 1 John 3

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1

As John teaches the believers in Ephesus about how to live with confident faith, he draws their attention to God’s great love for them. God’s love should cause awe and wonder. It is a love so amazing that they should struggle to find words to express it. It should leave them speechless! John uses the word lavished, which means “over the top.” Then, John tells them that this over-the-top gift is that we “should be called children of God!” He intends to overwhelm them with this description and leave them in awe of this amazing love. God’s love is so wonderful, and John wants them to know that they are now children of God.

There is a difference between understanding God’s love theoretically and sitting in awe and wonder at being God’s child. This reality changes everything when we internalize it and make it the most significant part of our identity. This past weekend, we used the alphabet to look at many of the different things God says about us as his children. In Christ, we are adopted, beloved, chosen and so much more.

TODAY:  Use this link to review who you are in Christ from A to Z. Then, in your journal, list any lies you’ve believed about your identity that need to be replaced with something from the A-Z list. Memorize that verse so you can recall it quickly whenever you question your identity.