Do You Think I Am Like My Dad?

It was the question my 20-year-old stepson asked me while we were on vacation.

Do you think I am like my Dad?

He is, in fact, very much like his dad, my husband, Greg, and I told him so. He has Greg’s outgoing, fun personality and love of all things sports. He is kind and caring. I pray he will continue to grow into a man of character and integrity, just like his dad.

After I responded to Charlie’s question, the Holy Spirit prodded me to continue to ponder the question. Am I like my Dad? My heavenly Daddy?

Romans 8: 29 (NKJV) says:

‘whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among the brethren.”

If God knew I would one day be born (and He did) and then later choose Jesus as my Lord and Savior, according to this verse, He intended for me to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Conformed. To become like.

Notice it doesn’t say ‘made like’ but rather ‘to become like’. In the beginning we were made like God, but when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s rebellion and disobedience, all that changed. No longer were we made like God, for God has no sinful nature. In that moment we needed something to change us so we could once again be like Jesus.

Once we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in us and we have everything we need to be conformed to the image of Christ. This conforming doesn’t happen automatically. We must develop and nurture a relationship with Jesus. We need to talk to Him to learn what He has to teach us. We must read His Word to discern His heart. Our hearts must be submitted and surrendered to Him so we are teachable.

As we do this, we are slowly conformed to the image of Christ. His joy is our joy. His desire becomes our desire. The things that break His heart will begin to break our hearts.

So, instead of Charlie asking me if he is like his dad, I now ask myself, ‘am I like my Daddy…my heavenly Daddy? Am I doing the things that are necessary for me to be made into His image, each and every day? I can honestly say I am trying. I may be a misshapen lump of clay, but each and every day brings me one turn of the potter’s wheel closer to the image of Christ.

How about you? Are you like your Dad…your Abba….your God?

MEDITATION MOMENT: What are you doing to be more like Jesus? Do you think you look more like Jesus now than you did 1 year ago or 5 years ago or 20 years ago?

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