Becoming Like Christ
Scripture tells us that we who belong to Christ are now ambassadors for Christ. As ambassadors, we are tasked with two things: the mission of God and the character of Jesus.
The goal this passage sets out for us sounds pretty simple: to become more and more like Jesus in the way that we act, think, and feel, and to also accomplish the purposes that God has for our life. We are tasked to accomplish the work of God in the way He wants it done, following the "word of truth," or the Bible.
As Christians, we should strive to be like Christ. We want to have the same mind and attitude that He had. Paul’s encouragement to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15 reinforces that mindset about our character. In the midst of a culture that is grumbling and fighting, act like Jesus.
In this letter, Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed of his past, but instead to let his past be a testament to how Jesus has changed his life. Your past is part of your story, and it’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s a way that you can show others how Jesus changed your life.
The best way that we can continue to be transformed by Jesus is to continually seek His truth in Scripture. As we engage with Scripture and the Holy Spirit, our mind, heart, and hands are changed to be more like Christ.
How can you be more like Christ today? Think of a few small steps you can take to begin to shift your thinking and action towards the mission of God or the character of Christ. Ask God for His help as you seek to follow Him daily.
“Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimrom, four. And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred. And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of them chief men. And with them, by their generations, after the house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for they had many wives and sons. And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies fourscore and seven thousand. The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and were ...
Called to Contentment
Observing Sabbath-rest allows us to step into the same rhythm God established in creating the world. Scripture tells us when God rested from His work, it was because His work was complete (Genesis 2:1). God took joy in His accomplishment.
In Hebrews 4:10, the writer draws a parallel between God's rest and ours: "For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." We're invited to delight in His presence and share in God’s divine contentment.
This rest isn't about taking a break from good works. It’s about surrendering the need to control by trusting in the completeness of God’s work. Our "rest" releases us from the burden of proving ourselves good enough to earn His love and approval. These things have been secured through Jesus’ finished work on the cross. When we step into this rhythm of rest, we can find contentment that spills over into every part of our lives.
Is God calling you to stop trying to do everything on ...