An Imitator of Christ

Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. Ephesians 5:1

I'm a follower of Jesus,
He is my daily bread;
But shouldn't I rather be
Imitating Him instead? 

Righteousness is what I seek,
Obedience to His Word;
When meditating quietly,
His voice is what is heard.

Storms are raging all around,
Lord, what should my response be?
Then like a gentle summer breeze,
A sense of peace refreshes me.

Can I sustain a life that's pure?
Yes, in living by the Sword;
Thus, day by day, in every way
I'm an imitator of my Lord.

Christians often refer to themselves as followers of Christ. The definition of a follower is an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity. So that is accurate, as we are devoted to Jesus and what He stands for. But, the word Christian means to be Christ-like. So being an imitator of Christ is more accurate, because the defininion of an imitator is a person who copies the behavior or actions of another. If I tell someone to follow me, they will trail behind me and go wherever I go. But if I tell them to imitate me, they will do every action I do and say everything I say. Isn’t that what God wants from us? Not to just be mere followers of His Word, but doers of His Word? We can learn Bible verses, listen to inspiring sermons, sing beautiful songs of worship, and read religious books. But if we don’t apply these things in our daily actions and words, we aren’t fully alive in Christ. Although I can’t say that I’m an imitator of Christ 24-7, it’s what I strive for. God’s not expecting perfection in us, but He does expect us to strive for it. We may not always hit the mark, but our relationship with Him will be richer, and we will be better equipped to be salt and light in our world.

Lord, help us all to not just be followers,
but to be imitators of You.
I pray that Your Word would be
ever present on our minds and lips,
And that You empower us to apply Your Word
in all that we say and do. Amen