Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 NRSV
A question I get a lot from strangers is, "where are you from?" Very quickly, it's evident that although I've lived in Massachusetts for nearly forty years, I wasn't raised here. That's because the way we speak is learned during our formative years; our pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary are developed by listening to other people. As a result, we become imitators of what we hear.
As we spend more time with God, we become more like him. Our imitation applies not only to our speech but also to how we think and act. Our words become kind and encouraging, our minds turn to compassion, gentleness, and love, and our actions are those of justice and mercy. Although we occupy the same body, we become a new person transformed by the Holy Spirit in our imitation.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the love of Christ. Help us to become sincere imitators of him. Open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. May our lives be a tribute to your glory and grace. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
Comments