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Imitation of Christ
I’ve been pondering the imitation of Christ lately. It’s a scary thought. Imitate Christ? Just add that to the growing list of things I can’t do. I can’t run a 4 minute mile (okay, I can’t even run an 8 minute mile), I can’t carry a tune, and I can’t connect a baseball bat with a fast moving ball, much less hit it out of the park. I just can’t.
But what if I were to get really serious about these things? For example, let’s say you offered me a million dollars if I hit a grand slam homerun. I would put in more effort. I would hire a coach, watch videos, learn all the physics, and work at it day and night. For a million dollars, I would try really hard. But at the end of the day, all my motivation, training, learning, and practicing would still fall pitifully short of the goal.
“Perhaps,” you think to yourself, “she just isn’t trying hard enough.” So, now to increase my motivation, you now mention that my entire eternal destiny rests on my hitting that baseball out of a major league park. My motivation has just increased 1,000 fold – but my natural ability hasn’t. I just can’t do what I can’t do.
How ridiculous to spend all that time, money, and energy trying to make myself into something I will never be. But in the Christian life, I easily fall into this trap.
The Goal of Life
Think of it this way, instead of a simple homerun, the goal of the Christian life is to be like Jesus. Romans 8:29 states that God is working to conform us into the image of His Son. Jesus is the living, breathing, model of what we are supposed to be.
Because this is so important, it’s easy for me to try hard to be what God wants me to be. I work at it thinking if you just give me enough time, if I just try hard enough, if I learn a few more things, then I will be like Him. I forget that more information, time, and dedication will, at best, only make me a better me.
I Can’t
Imitate Christ? I can’t even imitate Mother Teresa or hit a ball out of the park, why in the world would I think that I can imitate Christ. I can’t do what I can’t do and I can’t be someone that I am not.
He Can
The good news is this: while the life of Christ isn’t something that we can manufacture it is something that can be produced in us.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
Abide
According to this verse, what are we to do? Abide. What else? Just abide. We can only draw life from Jesus; we cannot produce it on our own. He wants to live through us, be patient through us, love through us, and bear up under loneliness through us. Jesus does not make us capable, He is capable through us.
Thankfully, my total inability to live this Christian life is very good news. Especially since no amount of motivation or dedication would ever help me pull it off. I can now rest in this glorious reality – I can’t, but He can. As I abide in Him, what I can’t do, He can and He will.
Listen to audio “Imitation of Christ” & Learn:
God’s gospel is not just hope for the lost but also daily help for the ‘found.’ Explore the provision, experience the power, and know the wonder of daily being able to cry out, “I can’t, but He can.”
- Embrace your inadequacy
- Be freed from the pressure to perform
- Experience great peace as you rest in God
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Other Great Articles You May Enjoy:
Transformational Love
Imitation of Christ
It’s All About Me - Or Is It?
The Beauty of Christ
Grace Like Rain
Hold Fast
Desiring God
Power to Love
Jesus Loves Me
Life Out of Control
God’s Purpose for Your Life
Faith First
Enjoy Christ
