A Daily Devotion for Monday, August 14

Romans 8:16-17

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

How do I share in Christ's sufferings? I am not sure that I do. This type (level?) of identification with Christ seems to describe a different time and place. My identification with Christ never puts me in danger, although I can imagine some settings where my beliefs might be very much misunderstood. Maybe stepping out of my comfort zone and just identifying myself as a Christian more often would be a good start. It feels risky, sometimes. This is (on a small scale) sharing in Christ's suffering.

Holy Lord, maybe starting with simply identifying myself as a Christian is the essential first step. It is a very small risk. And it opens up opportunities to follow Christ in a way which is more visible to others. If I want to be more Christ-like, I need to own that externally as well as internally. Amen

Becky, transforming