We live in the midst of an identity crisis. We might also be caught with it. Factors that commonly define the identity of people are money or wealth, power and pleasure. At times we may misplace our identity and misjudge our value… Achieving a firm and clear identity is essential for taking ahead our life and work. Exploration on our identity is to find an answer to this question: Who am I? Why do I exist?

Today we will ponder on the theme ‘new creation’. Scripture selected for today’s meditation is from 2 Corinthians 5: 17.

Let's look at the selected portion. 

In 2 Corinthians 5:17: we read “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” The word “therefore” refers back to verses from &14 onwards. The death and resurrection of Christ is the source of new creation. Through His death, we might share in the new creation. To experience the joy of new creation, we should die daily. The verse also points out that God's love that is demonstrated on the cross compels us to lead a committed life. The theme of new creation takes us back to the creation account we see in Genesis. God made Adam and Eve as ruler of the world. They broke their relationship with God through disobedience. Ultimately the relation with the creator and the creation become deeply affected. So the meaning of new creation or the identity can be actualised through an active and effective relationship with Creator God. 

I have divided my short speech into 3 pointsI 

God recreates and renews our life

Creation is a miracle. Science couldn’t completely comprehend the mystery of creation. We can see people around us who have been changed drastically as they respond to the life changing power of God. Apostle Paul's life is a right example of complete transformation, where a persecutor of Christ became a proclaimer of Christ. The new creation does not refer to becoming a new kind of super spiritual human being. Rather, it refers to becoming like Christ. The “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature, that could be our natural pride, self sufficiency, arrogance, opinions, habits and passions. God is the God of new beginnings. Believe, God can do new things in our life.

Jesus said in Revelation 21:5 : “I am making everything new!” These words refer to God’s renewal of creation, including our life and contexts. Dear people of God, He can write a new story about us.

Moving to the second point:

God creates a new perspective or new identity in our lives 

A transformed thinking is essential for a transformed life. The secular world sees life on the basis of what they get when they serve others. They help people who can help them back. As we understand our identity as newly created beings, we will develop new feelings toward people, a new kind of love, compassion and care others, even to strangers.

We might be obsessed with our odd thoughts, about our failures, rejections, death, loss and so on. When we identify ourselves as a new creation, the old or dead things are replaced with new things, full of life and the glory of Gōd. God created us in His images to exhibit the glory of God. The new identity included an entirely new framework for thinking. When our thinking changes, our behaviour will also change. In Isaiah 43:18, God speaks to us not to think about these former things, nor consider the things of long ago.

Here is my last point:

God makes us a part of the creation process

Oh, what a privilege it is. Once we are identified as new creation, we are given the responsibility to restore or sustain the life of people. Our words, actions, and attitude should manifest and proclaim the message of hope and the abundance of life. It doesn’t always matter what work we are doing. Our service should encompass empathy, unconditional acceptance and sincerity. God has a very specific purpose in our life, which can only be fulfilled through us! We can project and express Christ's love through our deeds, words and attitude. In this way we become part of creation.

Creation won't be complete without identifying with the creator. So death becomes a daily process so our creation will be. we will realise our identity more clearly when we understand God more deeply. We are privileged to play a part in the creative work of God. I pray that God may enable us to experience new creation, and become part of God's creative work.