Words of Encouragement
January - 08 - 2006
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. If we are to sincerely flatter God by being like him, imitation may be the most costly form of flattery as well. You see, love for God is never something that occurs just in our minds or our hearts. Love is something we do for another -- it is action. John said that we must love with more than our talk; we must show our love through our deeds. (1 John 3:18) This kind of genuine love means that we give ourselves up -- what we want, our rights, our desires -- to honor God and serve others. This is a kind of love that can change the world, or a marriage, or a family. This is the kind of love that God has given to us! Now let's imitate our Father in the way we love.
Let us read what Paul writes in Ephesians 5:1-2.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Let us pray.
Abba Father, we will never fully understand how you could love us so much that you would allow your son to die for us, as our sacrifice. Please help us love others sacrificially. We know the power to do this is not within us, so please pour your love into our hearts so that we may share that love with others.
Through Jesus we pray.
Amen.