ESOCS Devotional 24 May 2021
TEXT: EPHESIANS 5:1-14
MEMORY VERSE: “Since you are God’s children, you must try to be like him” (Ephesians 5:1KJV).
God’s foremost desire for us is that we should be like Him in our heart, thought, word, and action. He created us in His image and likeness from the beginning (Gen. 1:26). But we were corrupted in sin through Adam (Rom. 5:12). Unfortunately, humanity has failed to follow the pattern of the Lord Jesus (the Second Adam – 1 Cor. 15:47-50), but consistently remains on the path and in the likeness of the first Adam.
We do not pursue as an ambition, the need to be like God. We do not have zeal for such goal, and we are not conscious about developing such zeal and hunger in us. But this is not right. It should be our ultimate target. We should have in our heart the yearning to be like God, and pursue it with astute concentration without allowing any distraction to make us digress from that purpose.
We are expected to refine ourselves with the word of God until we possess godly character and dispositions. In other words, we should be like God in practical terms. Our attitude should be exemplary in Christian conduct, and moulded in the manner of Christ Jesus our Lord, who is God’s practical standard for us. No other standard is acceptable to Him. Let us be mindful of this always.
As God’s children, let us work to become perfect like our heavenly Father, and remain blameless; for that is His will and desire for us. Our Lord Jesus said to us, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48 NIV). We should grow consistently in godliness until we become complete in maturity in the matters of holiness and righteousness.
- Endeavour to overcome sin and all its likeness in your life.
- Lord, please terminate the works of the flesh in me.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-21; Exodus 1:1-22
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ESOCS Devotional 23 May 2021
