Reflecting the Image

Scripture:

Ephesians 5:1–6

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (NRSVUE)

Observation:

Paul has been describing what a holy life looks like. There is an expectation for God’s children to live differently in this world. Then, he comes to this point, which begins with “therefore.” Remember, whenever you encounter a “therefore,” our professors in seminary used to say, find out what it’s there for!

Here it becomes a bridge between Paul’s instructions and the foundational reason for this way of living. Followers of Jesus Christ are supposed to imitate God. We are His children — His beloved children. Why would we not want to be like the Father?

What does imitating God look like? We are called to walk in love. And then we are given this beautiful example of what walking in love looks like. It looks like Christ, who loved us so much that He was willing to give Himself up for us.

Jesus’ life became a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. He poured Himself out for us, and in imitating Him, we are to pour ourselves out in love for others. This is the walk of love.

Application:

Paul is not calling us to a works salvation, but he is calling us to a life in imitation of God. As God’s beloved children, we are called to bear the family resemblance, and this means that we are to walk in love.

Growing up, there may have been moments when you wanted to look or act like one of your parents. A few years ago, I had an “aha” moment when I thought about how I sign my name. Why in the world do I use my middle initial “D” in my name? I use it in official signatures — on ordination certificates — and I use it on books that I write. But why?

And then I saw it. My dad’s signature always included his middle initial “D.” Everything he signed had that “D,” and every book he wrote had that “D” in the middle of his name. I don’t think it was conscious, but I think that, subconsciously, I wanted to be like my dad. If he signed his name with that middle initial, then I needed to use mine too. I was imitating my earthly daddy. I wanted to identify with him.

God wants us to love Him so much that we want to identify with Him as well. He wants us to bear the family resemblance by imitating Him. This is a challenging thought for me today. As my signature bears a little resemblance to my father’s signature, does my life bear a resemblance to my Heavenly Father?

Our Heavenly Father wants us to spend time with Him. We are welcomed into participation in the life of the Triune God through fellowship. The more we fellowship with God, the more we are transformed into His likeness.

What does fellowship with the Triune God look like? It looks like spending time in prayer and getting to know the heart of God. It means being transformed by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. We cannot walk in love, and we cannot begin to bear the Father’s image, if we don’t spend time lingering in, and being shaped by, God’s holy love.

My signature carries the letter “D” in imitation of my earthly father. My life is to carry the signature of the holy love found in the Triune God. I am to imitate Christ, walk in holy love, and leave the scent of sweet perfume everywhere I go.

This is the signature of my Heavenly Father, written across my life on a daily basis.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to follow You today and to walk in Your holy love. May my life be a sweet and fragrant perfume to those whom I meet along the way. Thank You for welcoming me into Your sweet presence and shaping me into Your likeness. Amen.