Made in His Image

Ephesians 4:21-24 (The Message version)

You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

 

On a recent trip to Wales some in our group were highly critical of almost everything. The food was different and they wished for some good American food.  Our lodgings places were not up to American standards. Underneath their complaints you could hear the lament, “It’s not like home.” Others embraced the trip, trying new foods with anticipation, enjoying quirky lodgings just because they are not like home, and enjoying the people. The attitude one brought made all the difference in how much they experienced the trip.

The writer of Ephesians reminds all of us that if we are to fully live the new life Christ’s offers us, we have to let go of our past.  I wouldn’t go so far to say that we have to consider it all rotten and needing to be rejected, but I do think we need to let go of past hurts, resentment, bitterness, pride and more if we are to live a life of love, peace and forgiveness that God calls us to lead.  

Another way of getting at this is to ask, what kind of tourist are we in our life and faith journey? Do we want to drag our past experiences, particularly the negative ones, into the present moment and let them color all that we are experiencing? Or, are we wanting to live fully today relishing everything we experience as a gift of God? Which way would Christ challenge us to live?  We are reminded that we can’t give excuses for wanting to hang onto that past negative baggage.  We know how to live allowing God’s character to be faithfully reproduced in our lives. 

Each day is a new day.  We have to let yesterday go. It is hard to forgive, to give up negative habits and attitudes. But we can with God’s help.  It is a constant process but the more we work at it the easier because God is at work reproducing God’s very character in us.

Let us pray: Loving God as we journey through life give us the strength to leave the negative stuff behind us, celebrate today and all the ways you have blessed it. Help us to be faithful knowing you are working to reproduce your character of love and grace within us each and every day.  Amen.

This devotion was written by Bill Green and read by Sally Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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