O To Be Like Him! - Eph. 5:1-2

"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."
Eph. 5:1-2

I remember working as a camp counselor years ago and during staff training we were given the low down of what was termed as "Hero Worship". Hero worship was a term that described how some of the kids would respond to you as you loved them and showed them worth and value. They would think the world of you and want to be like you. Those of us with kids can identify with that as well. My son, Caleb, wants to be like me... He thinks of me as a hero and desires to be like me. It actually is humbling, because I don't want him to be like me, I want him to be like Christ. It's a challenge for me to be like Christ as well!

Paul challenges us to be imitators of God! God has shown us worth (we are His children) and value (we are dearly loved), so that our natural response is to want to be like Him. I will be so bold as to say that until you recognize your worth and value as a dearly loved child of God, you will not have that inward drive to want to imitate God. Oh, to be like Him! That is my desire, though I find myself falling short more often then I care to admit, but I am still in the game! I still pursue what I desire because He is my goal!

As I am pursuing Him, I cannot ignore the fact that imitating God is centered around love! I am to live a life of love... a life of sacrificial love! A love that cost me something! A love that hurts at times! That is how God loved me, and I am to imitate that! It's a good thing that love is a choice.

God, I am simply asking that You would strengthen my heart to love in such a sacrificial manner that I would be willing to endure hurt if it means others are loved well. My flesh wants to get in the way, so help me resist the allure of self-focused choices. I just want to love others the way You loved me!

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