The Lord is Your Example
The Lord Is Your Example
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:1,2
How can we be imitators of God? How can we, who are mere mortal, imitate the almighty immortal one? This seems to be a tall order. It would seem that to be imitators of God that we would love as he loves. His love, as demonstrated by Christ is an offering and a sacrifice, a sweet-smelling aroma.
Is it possible to love like that? Yes, it is, by his grace. We have the example of countless men and women who have loved like that and have made their life a sacrifice to God for the benefit of the kingdom of God.
One writer gives this application: Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
We can only love the way Christ loved by submitting to his lordship in our life. We can imitate God only when He makes himself alive in us. We can love like Jesus loved, but we must be born of God (born again) to do that.
Let us indeed love Him as he loves us and love others as he loves them.
Prayer: Father, teach me the secret of imitating you. I know that in my natural ability I cannot do it; I need divine intervention. I want to love as you love and share my life, yes, even give my life for the kingdom. Amen.
Message: We can only love the way Christ loved by submitting to his lordship in our life. We can imitate God only when He makes himself alive in us. We can love like Jesus loved, but we must be born of God (born again) to do that.
Affirmation: It is not hard to imitate God when it is God living in me. I can love like Jesus loved because it is His love living in me.
Reflection: Do some self-examination to discover whether you truly love as Jesus loved. His love drove him to make great sacrifice - what is your love causing you to sacrifice for Him and His kingdom?
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:1,2
How can we be imitators of God? How can we, who are mere mortal, imitate the almighty immortal one? This seems to be a tall order. It would seem that to be imitators of God that we would love as he loves. His love, as demonstrated by Christ is an offering and a sacrifice, a sweet-smelling aroma.
Is it possible to love like that? Yes, it is, by his grace. We have the example of countless men and women who have loved like that and have made their life a sacrifice to God for the benefit of the kingdom of God.
One writer gives this application: Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
We can only love the way Christ loved by submitting to his lordship in our life. We can imitate God only when He makes himself alive in us. We can love like Jesus loved, but we must be born of God (born again) to do that.
Let us indeed love Him as he loves us and love others as he loves them.
Prayer: Father, teach me the secret of imitating you. I know that in my natural ability I cannot do it; I need divine intervention. I want to love as you love and share my life, yes, even give my life for the kingdom. Amen.
Message: We can only love the way Christ loved by submitting to his lordship in our life. We can imitate God only when He makes himself alive in us. We can love like Jesus loved, but we must be born of God (born again) to do that.
Affirmation: It is not hard to imitate God when it is God living in me. I can love like Jesus loved because it is His love living in me.
Reflection: Do some self-examination to discover whether you truly love as Jesus loved. His love drove him to make great sacrifice - what is your love causing you to sacrifice for Him and His kingdom?
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