20-01-promises01-web

Day Eight
The Lord Is Your Example
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 5:1,2
How can we be imitators of God? How can we , who
are mere mortal, imitate the almighty immorta l one?
This seems to be a tall order. It would seem that to be
imitators of God that we would love as he loves. His
love, as demonstrated by Christ is an offering and a
sacrifice, a sweet-smelling aroma.
Is it possible to love like that? Yes, it is, by his
grace. We have the example of countless men and
women who have loved like that and have made their
life a sacrifice to God for the benefit of the kingdom
of God.
One writer gives this application: Watch w hat God
does, and then you do it, like children who learn
proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God
does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a
life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was
not cautious but extravagant. He didn’ t love in order
to get something from us but to give everything of
himself to us. Love like that.
We can only love the way Christ loved by
submitting to his lordship in our life. We can imitate
God only when He makes himself alive in us. We can
love like Jesus loved, but we must be born of God
(born again) to do that.