Listen

There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:28-29

Think

Identities have power. We choose to identify ourselves with sports teams, neighborhoods, countries, schools, leaders, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and/or beliefs. The people and the ideas you identify yourself with tell a story of who you are. God celebrates these diverse identities. God loves these diverse identities. And most of all, God wants to bring these beautifully diverse identities and their unique perspectives together as the Body of Christ. Our scripture passage from Galatians says we “are all one in Christ Jesus” no matter who we are or where we come from.

Maybe there are some identities that you don’t feel completely comfortable with. Maybe you are questioning some of your identities and how they impact you as a follower of Christ. The good news is that no matter what identity you are thinking of, you are still welcome. You belong here too. That is God’s promise, just as it was promised to Abraham.

Meg Rooney

Pray

God, thank you for giving me the space to be who I am.

Remind me that no matter how different or how far apart I feel, I am welcomed to be one in Christ.

Amen.

Go

Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us.

Frederick Buechner in Wishful Thinking (1973)