Imitate!

Imitate!

THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. Ephesians 5:1 AMPC

The Context and Focus:

Today's verse is taken from the letter of Paul to the church in Ephesus. This is a letter that encompasses the entire Christian experience, from before salvation to after the salvation encounter, as well as eternity. The man who wrote the letter, Paul, had his own past, which, by human standards, was not exceptional. He could have been called a murderer by association, because he was giving active support and encouragement to those who stoned Stephen to death, and he was on a mission to arrest and imprison, and maybe kill those who belonged to the Way of Jesus when he had an encounter with the same Jesus Himself, and his life was turned around. As it was in the days of Paul, so is it in our own time today. The same God is still in the business of reaching out and touching the lives of men. The past is not as important as the present and the future. In fact, there is nothing in my past that can give a fair idea or assessment of what God can do with my life if I surrender to God. This is why the best use of a life is the total surrender to the Lordship and authority of Jesus. It is the foundation of all else that God can do with a life.

The Message:

It is surrender that leads to knowledge and experience of who God is. When the verse above encourages me to imitate God, how would I know what to do and how to do it, if I do not spend time to know and follow God closely. People who make a career out of imitating others would spend plenty of time walking with the person they want to imitate, learning their mannerisms, watching their actions, waiting on their words, talking to other people who also know them well, so they can build up a profile of information, knowledge, experience and expertise about the person they want to imitate. It will be a good testimonial to the student when men can say that the student now looks like the master. It is not an experience that can be perfected in a night, one week, or one month, but it is the product of investment of time, resources and most times, silence. If the student is the one always talking, or always trying to get his/her point of view across, how does the student ever get to know the master or teacher? If I only come to God to ask him for something, how do i know him well enough to be able to imitate Him? 

The Conclusion:

It makes it even more important when you consider that mortal man cannot see God face to face, but God has followers all over the world. How can I make God known if there is nothing about my actions, decisions and reactions show that I know or follow God? How do men get attracted to God if there is the stench of evil in me? The Bible talks about the light of God shining before men, so they can see my good works, and glorify my father in heaven. That is the proof that God lives in me, and defines my pursuits and priorities. It also means it is proof of sonship. Sons are the images of their fathers. Men look and can see some of the mannerisms of the father in the child. It has to be the same for me in the spiritual. It was noted by the crowd around the apostles that these men had been with Jesus. It is also a sign of love, that a son wants to look like his father. It means the son is proud to be associated or identified with the father. Do I make God attractive or repulsive to the world around me? God's time of favour is here.