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Thoughts on Ephesians 5.1-2, 6-14

S  Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children.  Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us.  He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.  Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas.  God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing.  So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them.  You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.  Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth.  Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness.  Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.  It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret.  But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light.  Everything that is revealed by the light is light.  Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper!  Get up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  (Ephesians 5.1-2, 6-14, CEB)

O  Here St. Paul reinforces his teaching to the Ephesian church regarding a Christlike life: how it's marked by utter humility and complete uprightness.  Moreover, a life aware of God is given to actions that please God and reveal God's goodness in the world.

A  The idea of imitating God--and the exhortation to the same--is a powerful one, especially when joined with the description of Christ-followers as "dearly loved children."  Children often imitate their parents.  They want to do what mommy and daddy do.  They want to say what mommy and daddy say, and go where they go.  In essence, children portray their parents--and so demonstrate who their parents are.  So should followers of Christ portray their heavenly Parent, and the apostle tells us how: "Live your life with love...as children of light [producing] fruit...of goodness, justice, and truth."  Our blessed Lord, himself an imitator (indeed, the very image) of God, shows us through his life what this looks like.

P  Gracious Father,
shine your light on us all, illuminating your way, 
that we might see and follow;
and help us by our lives to reflect your nature,
which is defined by your love.
In Jesus' name, amen.

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