Neil Anderson Devotional for Tuesday, January 15, 2002 ,
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N E I L   A N D E R S O N   D A I L Y   D E V O T I O N A L
             from Freedom in Christ Ministries

January 15

OUR ESSENTIAL IDENTITY

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness" (Genesis 1:26).

Adam was created physically and spiritually alive. He possessed
eternal life from his first breath and enjoyed God's abiding
presence in the Garden of Eden.

Furthermore, unlike the animal kingdom that operated by divine
instinct, Adam was created in the likeness of God with a mind,
emotions and will, giving him the ability to think, feel and
choose. No other created being can make that claim.

After creating Adam, God said, "It is not good for the man to be
alone" (Genesis 2:18). So He created a suitable helper for him:
Eve. They both enjoyed a sense of belonging to God and each
other. Not only that, God gave them a purpose: to "rule over the
fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle
and over all the earth" (Genesis 1:26). Adam and Eve didn't have
to search for significance; they had it in their relationship
with God. And because God was present with them, they lived in
perpetual safety and security.

Eternal life, identity, purpose, significance, security and a
sense of belonging are all attributes of mankind created in the
image of God. Adam and Eve experienced these attributes in full
measure, and we were destined to enjoy them too. But when Adam
sinned, he died spiritually and forfeited everything God had
provided. Being separated from God, Adam's glowing attributes
became glaring needs.

As children of Adam born separated from God, we come into the
world with these same glaring needs. We wander though life
striving to make a name of ourselves, looking for security in
temporal things, and searching for significance apart from God.
Is it a hopeless quest? No! We are able to fulfill these needs by
establishing a personal relationship with God through faith in
Jesus Christ. Everything Adam enjoyed in the garden before he
sinned is now at our disposal.

Loving heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to die for my
sin so I may have eternal life. And thank You that in Christ my
need for identity, significance, security and a sense of
belonging can be met.


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Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
< http://devotionals.crosswalk.com >.
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