The Pastor’s Blog – LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
I was going through old pictures and came across this picture of my daughter and myself dressed up for Halloween. Can you see the resemblance?
When people look at children they often ask, “Does she look like her mother or her father?” When I look at our children, I see both my wife and myself in them. The good news for our children is that they look more like their mother than me!
A more important question is, “Do I look like my Heavenly Father?” Jesus, who was God come in the flesh, reflected perfectly the Heavenly Father to this broken world. He would say to those who listened, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). What is God like? He is loving, kind, compassionate, powerful, patient, merciful and just. How do I know? This is what we see in Jesus.
In Romans 8:29 we read that it is God’s plan that we would look like Jesus. We read, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” The family resemblance of God’s people is to become like Christ. We too will learn to love God first, and our neighbour as ourselves. The compassion, grace, mercy, justice and love of Jesus will be seen in the people of God.
To be called a Christian is a great honour, for it means that we have turned to Jesus for salvation, and accepted God as our Heavenly Father. As His Spirit works in us, the image of Christ will be stamped on our lives. The closer we walk with God, the longer we spend time with Him, the more we will reflect the family image.
So, when people look at you, can they see Christ? When you look in the mirror, do you see your Heavenly Father reflected back to you? That is God’s plan for your life, to reflect the family image back to the world, to show the people God. You can only do that when the Holy Spirit conforms you to the image of Christ. Yield yourself to the work of the Spirit, and let people see Christ in you!
– Pastor Gary