Tonight my husband and I attended a concert in which the band imitated the group the Eagles. The band sounded very close to the actual Eagles. These musicians played many of the Eagles’ greatest hits, and it was easy to hear that they had spent many hours perfecting their ability to play the Eagles’ music. While watching and listening to these musicians imitate the Eagles, I thought hat as a follower of Jesus I should be imitating Him in my daily life. I need to study Scripture for many hours with the Holy Spirit to be able faithfully to emulate my Lord in my thoughts, words and actions.
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, “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” (Ephesians 5:1).
To imitate Christ means to live a life of sacrifice to God through the Holy Spirit. We must surrender our personal convictions, desires and values to let the Spirit establish Christ’s love, forgiveness and redemption in our hearts. To live sacrificially is to obey the Spirit so that through His help our lives will bring glory to God the Father through God the Son.
When we imitate Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit our life belongs to God in Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Denise Larson Cooper has a passion for Christ and sharing His Word. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise currently works as a gymnastic coach.
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Godnesia: Keeping God in Mind Each Day http://amzn.to/2GSquOD
Ordinary Days With an Extraordinary Savior – http://amzn.to/2mFGASB
Life Is a Metaphor: Recognizing God in the Everyday – http://amzn.to/2De1rU2