7/7 - Ephesians 5

This has been one of those mornings where it's tough to get through a prayer and thru reading the word. My old nemesis Sleepiness has tried to get the best of me again but I'm battling through. I'm convinced that my daily battles with getting to sleep on time, the snooze button, and closing my eyes during prayer are all spiritual warfare. Sounds silly, and I was even staring to joke when I typed that last sentence, but it's gotta be real. Sleepiness has kept me from the Word and I'm sure the enemy uses it because we don't suspect him of a thing. So, a cup of hot tea...and here we go

I think verse 1 is a good memory verse as each day this should be our goal:

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

All of what we attain to become as believers is summed up in this verse and so much fruit will flow out of it. The verse requires that we first know who God is before we set out to imitate Him. Actors who depict real life characters spend countless hours studying that person - their mannerisms, speech, tendencies, attire & habits. If the person is still alive they'll even spend time talking to the person directly so they can get the full picture of who this person is as they set out to imitate them. The best example I can think of is Jamie Foxx in Ray. I was able to enjoy that movie as if it were actually Ray Charles I was watching because nothing Foxx did resembled himself - everything looked, sounded and felt like Ray Charles. I'm sure it's the goal of every such actor, that when viewers see them on film, that they see the character and not the actor.

And so it is with us. We study God's word to get to know Him and there's an infinite wealth of knowledge there for us. We should want our actions, mannerisms, & thoughts to so model God that people see Him, not us. God's word to me these last few days through these passages of scripture has been "more of Him, less of me."

God, help me to imitate You today. I want to be pleasing to You just as Jesus was. I want the sacrifice of my life to be a sweet smelling aroma to You, that you're glorified in all I do.