Devotions 14-01-08 (Eph 5:1-2)

"Therefor be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

Mary Lou and I just finished spending the weekend with Piret and Stella (our key disciples of the past 6+years).Sat was full of fun and games and ended with the traditional Estonian sauna. Stella treated us with this weekend because she is leaving for Sweden in a week and will be gone four months. She even arranged for us to have some special treatments at a local health spa that was very invigorating and refreshing.

On Sun morning we spent three plus hours going over some studies we have been doing in the book of Ephesians chapters 1-4. We reviewed the content of the chapters and discussed our applications from those nine weeks of bible study. It was a very meaningful time for all of us and it will be a memory that I will never forget. God is so very good.

With all this as a background I read the above verses this morning in my devotions. It is amazing how fresh the scriptures can be to you when you have had
such a wonderful time with close friends in the Lord and with the Lord.

My response to the above verse is "Yes" I do want to imitate my God to the best of my ability and I know He will help me to do this. I do want to live a life of being loving to others. Those who are close to me but also to strangers and those who are far from God. I do want to be like Jesus and make sacrifices to God with my time, ability or whatever gifts He has given me to honor and please Him. I felt our weekend was a little bit of this but I need to do it every day of my life.

Lord, thanks for a very special weekend to be with our dear friends and with You. Your presence with us and in us was the key to such a memorable time and You deserve all the honor. Lord, help me to truly live a life of love and to give myself to others so they might know the wonder of Your love and grace. I know this must require sacrifices on my part but You turn these sacrifices into wonderful gems of special memories and invaluable blessings. Thank You Lord for all You have given to all of us during this time. Thank You for laying this on Stella's heart and all she did to make this special weekend become a reality for Your Glory.