Prayer to imitate Christ
Author: Emily Rose Massey
Bible reading:
“Therefore, as beloved children, be imitators of God, walking in love as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV
Listen or read below:
I’m a mom of four boys and I have many nicknames for my kids, but one of my favorites is “My Little Monkey.” You know, monkeys see, monkeys do? From their silly little dance moves to their funny phrase repetitions, you can tell they’re brothers and best buddies. But my youngest is just a few months away from turning 2 and learning all kinds of new words and emotions and how to handle them, so we have to be very careful about what we say and do around him. As parents, it is my husband’s and my job to guide our children in how their words and actions glorify and bring glory to God. When they sin and disobey, we lovingly correct them and teach them how they should come to the Lord in repentance and ask for help when they are tempted to sin or disobey. We also help them understand this better as we practice and model it. Children naturally imitate those around them. The environment in which they grow up truly shapes them as people. It is important that we, as believers, constantly point them to Christ, His Word, and His ways.
All of this applies to us as children of God. We are to be imitators of Christ, not imitators of the world. After explaining how the body of Christ is to unite and show Christ’s love and mercy to one another, the Apostle Paul echoes that sentiment as he encourages the church in Ephesus to imitate God.
“Therefore, as beloved children, be imitators of God and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, becoming a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV).
One of the best ways we can imitate God is to continue to love others sacrificially like Christ. This way of life is an offering to the Lord as we lay down our lives for others and learn to put others before ourselves. But just as little children need examples of godly behavior, so too do we need to surround ourselves with people who honor Christ and walk as Christ-honorers in everything they say and do.
As we are called to imitate Christ, it is important to read the Bible and look to those who came before us, just as we heed the instructions of the prophets, apostles, and Christ himself. We also look to the leaders and leaders the Lord has placed in our lives. We can learn much from the apostle Paul in the scriptures. His life was full of suffering and pain, but he faced it with joy and bold confidence in the Lord. Through his life, we learn that we can trust the Lord to give us the courage to say no to comfort and comfort, but yes to suffering for the glory of God. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to follow Him. That was Paul’s mission in life: to imitate Christ. And that is what he and the other apostles literally gave their lives to preach to the world through their words and actions. Although we may never have the honor of literally dying for Jesus Christ because of our faith in Him, by God’s grace we can ask God to help us imitate His selflessness every day.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
Rest in your grace that I may be strengthened in the service of the King who has come to show us a better way. Thank you for not only saving me from my sins, but for saving me for the purpose and kingdom mission of loving deeply, walking humbly, and boldly proclaiming the truth. Help me to run the race set before me and live my life motivated by the glory of Christ. As we learn how to walk together in the likeness of Christ, I am reminded to keep my eyes on Christ, abide in His Word, and lock arms with those He has placed in my life.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Photo credit: ©Unsplash/Frank Mckenna
Emily Massey started writing short stories and poems at a young age, entered the world of blogging in her early twenties, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home mom while pursuing her passion as a writer. She believes much is forgiven, loves much, and desires to teach others about Christ and His saving and transforming power, especially by sharing the truths found in God’s written Word. To connect with Emily, please visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
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