Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Do you look like your Mom or your Dad.? Perhaps a wonderful blend of both. That's natural. We may even resemble our parents in our behavior, because they were our first teachers. We learn to talk and walk by imitating them. Often, we also have personalities much like our parents. Our parents, in love, try to teach us the things that we should learn.
We are also sons and daughters of God the Father Almighty because He created Adam and Eve, the first parents, and through them he created us. In this passage, the apostle Paul urges us, using the most endearing terms, "beloved children" to be imitators or followers of Christ. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we are also sinners and rebels against God. Jesus Christ, the obedient Son, restored the relationship between us and Christ the Father by his suffering and death on the cross to pay the full price of our sins.
We're to love our neighbors as Christ loved us. As imitators of Christ, we no longer walk in the darkness of sin. If we live our lives, taking God along with us, we won't adopt bad habits like drug or alcohol abuse, sexual immorality, violence, hated, lies and other schemes of the devil. We won't deceive anyone or take advantage of them. We'll try to live Christian lives trying to care for our families and neighbors, helping them with every need. We'll stop, like the Good Samaritan and care for the injured, homeless and helpless. We're to show others that Christ is a gift for those with failed and broken lives. There is hope, restoration and healing for those who have passed the point of despair.
God loved us. Now it's time to pass it on.
Thank you God, for showing me Your mercy and love in Christ Jesus. Amen
Carole Graesser
This Lent, we are sharing the offerings of members of All Saints who worked together to create a daily Lenten devotional book. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list.
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