Oh, to be like Him!
My mother was looking at my son Jon Marc on Skype recently. She was thrilled to be able to talk to him, and even more excited to be able to see him on web-cam, Mum has not seen Jon Marc or Jennifer since their 2006 wedding so it has been a while. It was an obvious thrill for her to see their daughter Evangeline on screen and she remarked on how cute and adorable Evangeline is. Great grandmothers are even more excitable than grandparents, if you can believe that!
But long after the conversation with Jon Marc was over, Mum just kept talking about how like my father he looked. Jon Marc has always had a similarity to my Dad but as he gets older he becomes even more like Dad as we remember him. Since Dad passed on a few years ago and Mum still misses him, she was delighted to see just how like his granddad Jon Marc had become. Somehow it gave her a great lift to see that the older Jon Marc gets, the more he looks like my Dad did at that particular age.
In Ephesians 5:1 we are encouraged to become more like Christ by “becoming imitators of God.” Would it not be the best compliment we could be given to be told we are like Jesus?
Obviously, Jon Marc resembles my Dad because of his genetic make-up and he can”t do much to change that! But in reality, at least before salvation we can”t do much to change ourselves either, but be willing to allow Him to change us.
From that moment onwards, the more we learn about Him and from Him the more likely it is that we become like Him. Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” As we show mercy, kindness and tenderness, we will be known by these fruits of the Spirit evident in our lives. So often we forget what He took us from and how much we have been forgiven when we are judging others!
Due to our mission work, Jon Marc did not have as much time to spend with his grandparents as most kids do, meaning that he had not the same opportunity to “imitate” his grandfather, but for us as believers, we do not have the excuse of geographical distance. If we are not as like the Lord as we should be, we can alter that by spending more time with Him! As we learn more about Him through the Word, through prayer and fellowship with others of like mind, we can learn how to become like Him.
If it is exciting for us as parents to see traits and similarities of our parents in our children, then I imagine when we are told in so many verses to become like Christ, it must also bring joy to the Lord when others can see Christ in us. This hymn by Wm Kirkpatrick, words by F.O. Chisholm and can be found on FAVORITES gospel songs #5, sums up the longing we have in our hearts.
Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I”ll forfeit all of earth”s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain:
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand”ring sinner to find.
Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th” anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.