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“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT)
During this season of Lent that’s about to come to an end as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, the part of today’s reading that jumped out at me is “live a life FILLED WITH LOVE, following the example of CHRIST.”
Part of the reason of Lent is to empty ourselves of expectations, ideals, and selfish desires to allow God’s Spirit to FILL us with His abundant, overflowing, never-ending LOVE. As Paul wrote, “He loved us *SO MUCH* He offered Himself as a SACRIFICE FOR US. We’re about to focus on that sacrifice the day after tomorrow on Good Friday.
God wants our empty hearts and souls to be FILLED with Christ’s compassion, forgiveness, peace, grace, joy, and well – SALVATION – all rooted because of His LOVE for you and me.
I’m going to pray and challenge us today to take a good, long look at Jesus and His AMAZING LOVE for us. The way He lived His life humbly, with a servant heart, with patience, grace and kindness. The way He showed His love for His (and our) Father, and the way He lived FOR us – with so much love He’d sacrifice His life so we can have ours forever with God.
May we imitate Him!