Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
Ephesians 5:1 NLT
Why is the world so dysfunctional? A lack of good parenting.
How do children learn? They mimic their role models.
What can we do? Everyone needs compassion. Therefore, imitate God in everything you do.
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.
Ephesians 5:2 NLT
Love is the answer. Every child needs love to grow and thrive. If they can’t find it at home, they’ll look to get their needs met elsewhere.
The good news is that there is a Heavenly Father who is perfect in character who wants to adopt every man, woman and child on the face of this planet as His own beloved.
That’s made possible because of Jesus. His sacrificial death on the Cross forever paid the price for the failures of all humanity to love well. God commands us to love one another. Disobedience of God’s will is called sin, which means missing the mark.
Clearly, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standards. Thankfully, Jesus provides the forgiveness for sin through His atoning sacrifice. We simply need to confess our sins and we are forgiven. Jesus doesn’t want to condemn anyone. He wants to set the captives free from slavery to sin.
Because of Jesus, we also can receive the power to overcome sin. This is afforded through the Holy Spirit. He gives us the desire and the ability to please God by loving people like Jesus does.
Let’s purpose in our hearts to live like Jesus in this world.
Father in Heaven, forgive me for all my sins, my rebellion against Your will. I choose to confess the truth, that I have not always loved others the way You command us to. Heal me, O Lord. Remove my iniquity from me. Purify my heart. Sanctify my mind. Cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Thank You, Jesus, for restoring me to harmonious fellowship with my Heavenly Father. Baptize me anew in the Holy Spirit. Give me the power to love like Jesus, to live like Jesus and to act like Jesus in every area of my life. Thank You for Your grace and mercy and unfailing love. Amen.
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light. For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT
Recommended reading: Ephesians 5.
Igniter Ministries 