Don't imitate me!!!

For the past four weeks the Ripley Home League have been meeting in the local Co-op cafe as the hall was out of bounds due to repair work, but we had a wonderful time of fellowship and spoke about many things including love, and forgiveness something which many of us find hard to do when we have been badly hurt. But this week we were back at the hall and I spoke about how others see us, especially our family, friends, and neighbours, can they see Jesus? We were all challenged to look within to see what needs changing. Sometimes our focus is so much on what we are going through, family heartaches, health issues etc, and we become so engrossed with these things that before long we have taken our eyes of Jesus. When we focus on Jesus and not on ourselves then the troubles and trials are put into perspective and we know we can trust Jesus to be with us and help us through them. Paul wrote:

Philippians 4: ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Paul could say with confidence to those he had led to Christ. 

All the things they had learned from him, received from him, and saw in him, was all Christ-like because he had such a close walk with the Lord. He was content no matter what circumstance he found himself in. People could still see Jesus in him no matter what he was going through. Can we with hand on heart say to new believers as Paul did “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ”, no I don’t think we can. That is an amazing statement but it is one that we can strife for, we can examine our lives and put right those things that grieve the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We can strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Jesus. Don’t concentrate on your problems but concentrate on the true, the noble, the just, the pure, the lovely, the good report, virtue and things praise worthy, in other words all the things of the Lord Jesus and not of ourselves or the world. Paul’s focus on the world was the lost people and that should be our focus especially our family, friends, and neighbours. If we imitate Christ, and pray for them then one day they may sing with us.

King of Kings, Majesty,
God of heaven, living in me
Gentle Saviour, closest friend,
Strong Deliverer, Beginning and End
All within me falls at Your throne

Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don't deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty

Earth and heaven worship You,
God Eternal, Faithful and True
Who bought the nations, ransomed souls
Brought this sinner near to Your throne
All within me cries out in praise