We have just started a new year. As Christians, our new birth into the family of God begins with baptism. What an awesome gift it is! Through the sacrament of baptism, we are dipped into the saving grace of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Original sin and any othersins are washed away and we become children of God. This identity is so important. It forever shapes and characterizes the rest of our lives.

Spiritual fitness requires we know our identity. There have been cases where people have had an accident and have lost the memory of their identity. As tragic as that is, an even greater tragedy occurs when we forget who we are in God. We develop spiritual amnesia.

Spiritual amnesia can take away our Christian joy. We forget we are God’s children and feel and act more like orphans or strangers before God. Spiritual amnesia also affects our relations with others. We experience being alone, separated and alienated from those around us. We need to remember each day who we are in God, because the world is constantly hitting us on the head hoping we will forget our real identity.

Dunk yourself in the Sacred Scriptures that focus on the identity we received at our baptism. There is nothing like a good hot bath to cleanse us of dirt and grime, and give warmth to our muscles and bones. We need to take a bath in God’s Word. If we allow God’s Word in Sacred Scripture to penetrate us, its healing warmth and truth will revive us and wash away the false words and lies that have soiled our souls. We will be refreshed and strengthened by God. God created us and wants nothing more than for us to come to intimately know Him and to have fellowship and communion with the Most Holy Trinity.

Spend 10 Minutes on these 4

Scripture Meditation: Read, meditate then consider how the following passages apply in your life.

1 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit itself bears witness with us that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”  (Romans 8:14-17) Read Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 8.

2 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7)

3 “For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)

4 Your choice for this final reflection: Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 28:16-20; John 3:1-22; Acts Chapters 10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:12 to 13:13;  Ephesians Chapter 4; 1 John 2:28 to 3:3;  Revelation 5:9-13;  Revelation Chapter 7; Revelation 21:5-7.