His Likeness

Rom.8:¹⁹ (KJV) “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

God made you and I the light of the world. When He says you are the light of the world, He is saying that He has given you all it takes to be light. It may not look like it now, just trust Him and take your stand, then watch His light shine through. The change our world so badly needs is going to established by you and I. The world is depending on us, God is depending on us. How to bring this to pass is revealed to us in Eph.5:¹ “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” (emphasis added).

Does the Bible say we should imitate God in a few things, or in some things, or in the things we like? The Bible clearly states that we are to imitate God in everything we do. Jesus Himself said to His disciples, “I do not do anything of My own; as I see the Father do I do likewise.” (John 5:19 paraphrased). One of the things children are specialists at doing is imitating their parents, have you noticed? Children largely do not do “do-as-I-say”, they do “do-as-I-do”. If all your children see is you fighting, they will go to school thinking they are wrestlers. God is saying, ‘I am your Father, look at Me and imitate Me.’ Imitation calls for focus. If you can imitate God in everything, then you do not need to worry about do’s and don’ts. Just do what you see the Father do and you would be living His life through your heart and that is beautiful. While Paul gives us a list and encourages us on what to flee from and what to become, the thing about such lists is they can be endless. But when we imitate God, we do not need to worry about any list because as He is, so are we by His grace.

What is God like and what is it to imitate God? Eph.5:² “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” (emphasis added). Therefore, to imitate God is to walk in love because God is love. 1Jn.3:¹⁴ “If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.” (emphasis added). This is so important for every Christian. We have established that Jesus did not come to make us good people, but to take us from death to life. God’s Word shows us that the proof that we have passed from death to life is our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer: Father, I declare that as Your child, every detail of my life is patterned after You, in Jesus Name. Amen!