Imitate God

Ephesians 5:1-2 - Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 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.

Imitation is supposed to be the best form of flattery…. I think it can also show us some truth in how we are seen. I want to Jesus to be seen in me.

I have a picture of my oldest son of when he was probably 4 and he was imitating my husband weed eating. In the picture he had ear protection and had long handled water nozzle from our water hose and he was walking around pretending to be weed eating. It was so cute.

He was imitating his father and that is what we should do as well. We should imitate God our Father in behavior and in with our hearts as well. In John 5:19 it says, So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 

Skip a head about 8 years and the same son was weed eating for real this time and he kept having problems and he would bring me the weed eater and I would look at it and fix it and teach him how he can trouble shoot on his own later.

Now he is 15 and he is able to remember what I did and fix the weed eater on his own. In order to imitate us our kids watch us. They learn from us.

When we read the Bible and see how Jesus went through life, we are learning from Him. When we ask God to guide and lead us, we are learning from Him.

John 14:23 reads - Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

When we listen and learn we are better able to imitate and become for like Jesus.

I remember when I was a kid mimicking my parents and now, I watch all 3 of my kids do it and I have been aware of what I am doing and says, of how I am acting and reacting. I want my kids and others really to see Jesus in me.

I want to be like Jesus and represent Him well.

In John 13:12-15 is a great example of Jesus that we should learn from and try to imitate, it says, After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 

Lord help me to be more like you and less like me.