Affirmation of God: Imitate God.

Ephesians 5:1 the source of today’s affirmation states: Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (NKJ)  I struggle with that invisible switch. That switch that flips so quickly between imitating God and being a jerk. From holy to hellish in a flash.  The switch that flips from complete darkness to light. 

Which side of the switch is reality? I am sorry that I am writing in circles this morning but Ephesians 5 has been flipping that switch all morning. I have come across many awesome affirmations and am beginning to see the secret to imitating God more often and keeping the light on. 

After all Ephesians 5:2 shares: And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (NKJ) 

When we sacrifice our old, our very natural self when it burns it puts off a sweet smelling aroma to God. As we “walk in love” as Jesus did and die to ourselves as He did will there even be a switch? Is it possible that if I can focus, I mean IMITATE the love of Christ so much and live there that my darkness will no longer raise its ugly head? 

Well, I believe that is what Paul is writing in this letter is that there is hope. As we walk in the light of Jesus as we live there we will reflect His light into a dark world. Am I looking through rose colored glasses to think the world could be all thanksgiving and beauty in singing praises to God? Yes, imitate with me here for a moment.  I will leave the balance of Ephesians 5 for you to read to see what some of the ungodly fruits are of not imitating Christ but most of us have already experienced these things and do not need Paul to remind us of the darkness in which Christ has saved us. 

Ephesians 5:13 does remind us that the light of Christ is in all things. All of those things that were in our darkness that He shined His light on; He is now in those things. Ephesians 5:13 New American Standard Bible states it in a way that really hits home with me: 

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.(NASB) 

Not only visible but actually now “is light”. We have some things in our darkness that Christ brings to light, don’t we? Well guess what, Ephesians 5:13 says now that Christ has shined His light there and it is visible that now it is part of His light? In recovery circles you often hear it said that God never wastes a darkness or a heartbreak. Here we find he doesn’t. Not only doesn’t He waste it, it is now a part of the light. A story where light was shown on alcoholism, anger, pain, illness, sin, whatever the darkness was and is and it is now a part of how those things can be sacrificed to put off a sweet smelling aroma. 

I am just thankful to God for providing Jesus Christ to shine His light.  Do you too feel that thanksgiving? Well maybe that’s the secret. We imitate the light and share that thanksgiving without ceasing. How can we stay in this place of continual thanksgiving? Ephesians 5:18 says we should be “filled with the Spirit”.  And as unrealistic as it may seem, remember to stay with me here as we are fellow imitators here… 

5:19 says: speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (NASB) 

Can we keep our conversations with others in psalms, singing and making beautiful music with our hearts to the LORD? I think so, Paul thought so. The more we imitate the more we become. Of course the challenge to imitate is to know the one in which we are to imitate. How can we begin to do this? Let’s continue to speak to each other in psalms and God’s word. Let us talk about them as we rise up and lay down and as we walk along this road together. May we imitate together and see what joy God has in store for His people. May we sacrifice our natural selves to put off this lovely, sweet smelling aroma that will please God. We can do this folks, let’s imitate Him today. 

Let’s imitate God today in our interactions with others. May we be thankful for Him and His light and be singing praises to Him. All others in our path I pray they hear the song of our hearts. God I pray the more I imitate you the more my switch stays in the light.  Do you have any thoughts on Ephesians 5? Do you have a practice that keeps your heart singing?

Tom Raines

Christian Affirmations 4 Life