Imitators of Christ
Read: Colossians 1:15-17
Paul tells us over and over in his letters to be imitators of Christ, to have the same mind in us that was in Christ. I’ve always thought of that mostly in terms of humility, and how to treat others, I suppose; sort of a Golden Rule admonition. Recently, though, I’ve been thinking about Him more deeply – inviting Him into all my activities – and I’m not so sure that’s really all Paul meant.
Our main experience of Jesus is as our Lord and Saviour – our Redeemer who paid for our sins by His death on the cross, but obviously He’s much more than that. As we read in Colossians, Jesus is the Creator, just as are the Father and the Holy Spirit. He will also be the Re-Creator at the end of the age (“Behold, I am making all things new.” - Revelation 21:5).
I’m thinking that our urge to be creative – something that’s really strong in all of us until we somehow “grow up” and decide that creativity is something only certain other people have – is really a part of how we’ve been created in His image. We’ve been created to be creative, but as with all other spheres of activity, we’re to do it to God’s glory, not for our own.
Whether it’s telling a story, drawing a picture, singing a song, or even writing a devotion, if we do it for Him, we’re doing it right; so go ahead, tell that story, draw that picture, sing that song; go make something of yourself – for God’s sake!
Charlie van Becelaere
Read: Colossians 1:15-17
Paul tells us over and over in his letters to be imitators of Christ, to have the same mind in us that was in Christ. I’ve always thought of that mostly in terms of humility, and how to treat others, I suppose; sort of a Golden Rule admonition. Recently, though, I’ve been thinking about Him more deeply – inviting Him into all my activities – and I’m not so sure that’s really all Paul meant.
Our main experience of Jesus is as our Lord and Saviour – our Redeemer who paid for our sins by His death on the cross, but obviously He’s much more than that. As we read in Colossians, Jesus is the Creator, just as are the Father and the Holy Spirit. He will also be the Re-Creator at the end of the age (“Behold, I am making all things new.” - Revelation 21:5).
I’m thinking that our urge to be creative – something that’s really strong in all of us until we somehow “grow up” and decide that creativity is something only certain other people have – is really a part of how we’ve been created in His image. We’ve been created to be creative, but as with all other spheres of activity, we’re to do it to God’s glory, not for our own.
Whether it’s telling a story, drawing a picture, singing a song, or even writing a devotion, if we do it for Him, we’re doing it right; so go ahead, tell that story, draw that picture, sing that song; go make something of yourself – for God’s sake!
Charlie van Becelaere
No comments:
Post a Comment