Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, we learn to speak the language of God’s Word, which naturally takes root and grows within our human nature, transforming it into the image of God. We begin thinking with the mind of God and act through the Spirit of Christ. We start living God’s life: God brings a new life to our rebellious nature, teaching us the paths of obedience. He creates us anew and extends his favor upon us, giving us his own name through the grace of adoption.
The Lord Himself defines our identity–the very essence of who we are–by his Holy Name. This divine revelation signifies our noble origin, enabling us to boldly proclaim God as our “Father.”
We are the servants of God, his chosen children, because we received our Father’s Holy Spirit. Our calling is to spread righteousness and justice throughout the world. The Prophet Isaiah describes the character of the servant carrying the Spirit of God. Unlike others, the servant does not cry out, shout, or make his voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed he does not break, and will not quench a wick dying down. He establishes righteousness on truth, rising never to descend. Even his enemies are filled with hope upon hearing his name (Isaiah 42.1–4).
The Heavenly Father affirms His servant as His Covenant to bring light to the nations (Isaiah 42.6). With this light, He enables the blind to see and liberates those imprisoned in the darkness. He proclaims, “I am Yahweh! Yahweh is my Name! My glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols.” (Isaiah 42.8).
What more evidence do we need to be convinced of the greatness of our calling? When will we accept the invitation to become the bearers of God’s name and to belong to Him? (Isaiah 43.1) This ownership makes us precious, not slaves; it makes us glorious in the presence of God; and it makes us dear to God (43.4).
Instead of elevating ourselves to idols of our own making –etching fleeting human names by our imperfect standards of beauty–when will we return to our Father, who created us in His eternal image? (See Isaiah 44.7, 12–14.)
The awareness of carrying the identity of children of God kindles within us a light that transcends this world. Its radiant glow doesn’t blind our neighbors, whether faithful or not; instead, it radiates warmth not only into their souls but into their very essence, preparing them to embrace the abundant source of this noble light—our Lord Jesus. This light illuminates the paths of all, transforming us into true images of God. By emptying our egos and embracing the life of the Most Holy Trinity, we become heirs of God’s holy Name–the greatest grace ever bestowed upon us through our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2.6–7, 9).
