Like Jesus
by Suzanne Benner
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The ultimate goal of transformation is that we would be like Jesus.
Jesus came to earth, God in flesh, not only to die for us, but to live for us. His life provides a clear illustration of what our lives are to look like.
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15 NIV).
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NIV).
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps” (1Peter 2:21 NIV).
These verses point out Jesus’ humility, his servant heart and willingness to suffer for doing what is right. As Jesus does His transforming work in us, these characteristics become more evident in us.
Thus, every year, every month, every week, the question we should ask ourselves is, “Am I more patient, kinder, more loving, and more gracious; am I more like Jesus than I was last year, month or week?”
If the answer is no, I urge you to stop thinking in terms of what you need to do, like going to church more regularly or helping the poor more.
Those things are important, but the real follow up question is, “What have I not surrendered to God?”
Like the people in the Bible whose lives were transformed by their encounter with Jesus, we will be changed if we truly meet with God and surrender to Him.
It’s not that we might be changed, or we hope to be changed but rather, we will be changed.
Instead of trusting in our ability to change ourselves with hard work, we need to start believing that it is God alone who changes lives.
~God, I want to be like Jesus. I know I can’t do it on my own; please help me to allow You to work in my life.
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Questions: What does it mean to be like Jesus? What keeps you from surrendering completely to God?
About the Author: Suzanne Benner
4 Responses to “Like Jesus”
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Thank you Lord for the reminder that it is all about you! Yesterday I got side tracked and lost my perspective. I am so easily influenced by circumstances – at church no less. I surrender!
Thank you, Suzanne, for today’s devotional.
Yes, to be like Jesus that is my goal, plus, to surrender my will to God’s. I pray He will make me the woman He wants me to be. That I will serve Him this day and each day. That the light of Jesus will shine through me. Alas, that is what I would like my life to be, but evidently I do not surrender completely to God because I am not that way. It must be a constant desire and work, much like working out and getting in shape. It is a routine. There is work involved. It doesn’t happen just “once”. Reading God’s Word and praying daily must be invovled . . . walking with the Lord. But what else?
You ask “What keeps you from surrendering completely to God?”
I think most people do not know what keeps them from surrendering completely to God or else they would do it. At least that makes sense to me.
Judy stated that she believed that most people don’t know what keeps them from surrendering to God. Personally I think it’s because of fear. What does God want me to give up or what is God going to want me to do? Am I really strong enough for this? And I know that God will not give us more than we can handle and will be right with us while we are doing whatever he wants for us to do, but I still have this fear that He will ask too much of me. I believe I need to pray more!
thank you suzanne.
much food to digest here in your devotional. it isn’t easy to completely surrender my will to God. yet I keep baby-stepping like a toddler learning to take that first step. the first book I read when I realized that I belonged to Christ(sadly it was not the Bible yet) was a book entitled “A Portrait of Jesus”. after reading it from cover to cover, the love relationship simply grew stronger and stronger. then the only book of importance came into my life in Jan. of this year. His Word has taken me from a broken human being to one who is more kinder, more loving and more gracious. notice I left the patient for last. i can say in all truth that this one is the one that I so realize that the struggle is still there. i know that in time, my spiritual growth, all the corners, will co-exist with each other.
what have i not surrendered to God? if i don’t know the answer to that then God will tell me in due time. through trials and tribulations, that’s where the answer will be found. through experience will come the wisdom(even if it takes years and years).
what does it mean to me to be like Jesus? because as in 1 Peter 4:1-2:”Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
to answer ”what keeps me from surrendering completely to God?”– the newness of feeling unboundless love that is unconditional. it took me many years to be condioned to where I was. this transformation that is happening to me will not be complete in a fort night. my humanism keeps the impatience fed and only through prayer, reading the Living Bible, and listening, will i truly be blessed in oneness with Him.