Imitate God

  Sit, walk, build, put off, put on.  What's next?

  In our brief review of Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, we have come across these command verbs.  We are to sit with Christ in the heavenly places.  This is a time of resting in Him and learning who He is and who we are.  When we have done this, we are to walk in the ways Christ has shown us.  We are to build one another up into the mature body of Christ.  Then put off our old ways, and put on the new ways of Christ.

  So what is next?  Imitate God.  Paul writes, "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).  We learn that we are dearly loved children when we sit in the place of rest with him and learn his ways.  When we sit with him in the heavenly places, we observe the ways of the kingdom of God.  Since Jesus and the Father are one, when we learn the ways of Jesus, we learn the ways of the Father (and the Holy Spirit).  That is how we learn what is to be imitated.  Children learn by imitating their parents.

  Even Paul did not begin his apostolic life by going out right away to do things.  He began by learning about Jesus and learning new ways of living and loving.  He began from that place of rest in Christ before he began to preach.  Although he began with "the big reveal", he had to learn to walk all over again.  He had to learn to build rather than tear down.  He had to put off his old ways before he could put on the new.  He had to learn to imitate God when he himself had not seen Jesus in his earthly life.

  For Reflection:  There are many ways to learn to imitate God:  reading and studying the Scriptures, prayer, meditation, walking with others who are more mature than we are.  And, if we belong to a sacramental church, availing ourselves of the sacraments.

  Let us pray.  Jesus, we know that you do not leave us adrift when it comes to learning how to follow you.  Help us, your beloved children, to grow more like you every day.  What do you want me to grow in today?




 

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