Becoming Like Him
We were nothing alike when we met in college. He was calm, cool and collected. I was focused, fearful and frenzied. He rarely studied for a test and chose socializing over sleep. I over-prepared more hours than needed and got to bed by ten. Funny thing was, he usually got the better grade. They do say opposites attract, and it’s a good thing. If my husband had been just like me, who knows where we’d be today! (Or vice versa).
But after all these years, do you know what’s happened?
- We don’t have to talk to know what the other is thinking any more.
- We’ve developed the same taste in food.
- We have the same opinions about people and places.
- We really do think alike about most things.
- What one forgets, the other remembers.
- Between the two of us, we make one pretty good person.
My husband and I are becoming more alike every passing year. We used to laugh when we heard that could happen but it’s true. I guess once you’ve lived together for over 40 years, you really do become “one.”
It wasn’t always that way. It took time for us to merge into one. Most young brides try to change their mates. I was one of them. But as I look back over the years, I’m so glad my husband’s strengths helped mold me. The more time we spend together, the more like the other we’ve become. They say couples begin to even look alike after living together for several years!!
It’s the same with Jesus. The more we abide, the more we learn His ways. The more we live in Him, the more we begin to think like Him. The more time we spend with Him, the more we look like Him. We should desire to be like Jesus. And that happens only as we learn to abide in Him.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:6-9
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ.
For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
1. What words and phrases do you see in these verses that relate to “abiding” in Christ?
2. What warning do you notice here?
3. What might “fullness in Christ” mean to you?
4. What practical steps could you take to help you abide more fully in Christ?
Once we have accepted Christ into our lives, we have a responsibility to regulate our conduct to conform to Him. That doesn’t mean our acceptance is based on our performance. Our acceptance is based on the performance of Jesus on the Cross, not on anything we could ever do. The fullness of God that was in Christ’s human body will also be in us as we put our roots down deep into Him. The more we draw from that live-giving strength in Christ, the less we will be deceived by false teachings. Worldly philosophies will be replaced with a new way of thinking, speaking, and acting..as we spend more time with Jesus through His Word.
We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed
into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
I loved the picture of you and David – lovely – and as they have said all along in my life that you live with someone you begin to think – act and start finishing the last of the other ones sentences – I always thought that was so funny – but it is true – Louis and I could finish what each other was going to say many times. At the beginning of Louis and mine relationship – Louis was still from the Baptist church and I was Pentecostal – the Assembly of God minister called my mother and asked if she wanted him to talk to me about Louis and his belief – my mother was very wise – she told him NO – Louis was going to church with me and worshiping GOD with me. And before long Louis was right in there with me – we were singing specials in the church – He was teaching classes and doing work in the church. Then Louis received the Holy Ghost and that was wonderful – GOD always knows what and when HE is doing in our lives. Then again my Dad was a Baptist man of GOD before his accident and he worshiped the same GOD as we did. It really is funny sometimes how things happen in our lives. I love this lesson “Becoming like HIM” – I so want to be like HIM more each day of my life and help lead other to the LORD. The things I see in these verses about abiding in HIM – Walking with HIM – rooted and grounded in HIM – in HIM is all of HIS fullness. The warning in this scripture is to beware of any person you listen to through vain deceit and following after men instead of the LORD – following after the world. The fullness in CHRIST means to me to dig into HIS WORD each day of my life – to really know that I want to serve HIM more than anything else in my life – GOD has been so good to me and helped me so many times in my life – Healing – Wisdom – Gifts in my life – Holy Spirit – and most of all HIS leading and guidance in my life. Helping me to lead others to know HIM better in their lives. I just want to live my life just the way HE wants me to lead – Reading HIS WORD each day of my life and dwelling in HIS presence – I know HE is always with me and HE sends Angels down to protect me. Love this lesson – Abiding in HIM and serving the LORD makes our lives much richer. Thanks again – Karen – wonderful – I just want to get closer to the LORD.