Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 5:1, NKJV- “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
Depending on the translation, Paul was telling us to follow God’s example or to imitate God. This is not faking it until you are making it because in Ephesians 4:24 we are told to put on our new selves that were created to be like God now that we have heard about Jesus Christ. In fact, Ephesians 4:25 tells us to put off falsehoods and to stop lying.
We can stop lying to ourselves and others. In Christ we are new, and we can be true to our new selves. Ephesians 4:28 encourages us that even if we were former thieves, we now have something good to give to someone in need. I have found we are surrounded by people who need what we have. We have our former lives and our new lives in Christ.
Ephesians 5:2 instructs us to walk in love as Jesus loved us and gave Himself up for us. Jesus is our way out of the impurities of life. The key is turning to and living from Jesus. Sometimes it feels like a light switch. How can we be imitating Jesus one second and be ugly flesh in the next. The more we keep our hearts and minds on thanking Jesus the more we walk in His love.
Ephesians 5:8 says we were all once darkness but are now light in the Lord and we should walk as children of the light. Late in my recovery I changed my life verse to Ephesians 5:13, BSB- “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself.”
We each have darkness in our lives. When the light of God shines on our darkness, we do become exposed for who we were and are. Now what has been illuminated has become our light into a dark world. God’s light is our light and we have now become a light to shine into someone else’s darkness. This can be a light of hope and promise.
Ephesians 5:15 instructs us to be careful how we live. To keep the light switch on God Ephesians 5:18 instructs us to be filled with the Spirit. The more time we spend in thanksgivings and praise to God or as Ephesians 5:19 states making music in our hearts to the Lord we are more like God. Ephesians 5:20 provides the way to imitating God. We are to “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NIV)
We all have much to be thankful for! As we reflect on our blessings and thanksgivings more than the darkness and troubles, we see the light of God and we become the light of God. Right now, there are people in our paths that struggle to see the light, may we share the light we have so a ray of God’s light may crack into their darkness.
I am thankful God has shown His light into my darkest places to illuminate them, so they now have become light themselves. Will you let your light shine today?
Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for illuminating our darkness. Thank You LORD for creating light and reflecting Your light from us. Use our new light so that we show and imitate Your light for the good of those in need. We are thankful Lord, for your love and forgiveness given to us so we too can give away Your love and forgiveness to others. We are placing our light on a stand for all to see so all will see You. Amen.
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