Imitating God

All around me fear is the response to the events in the world.  Jesus told us this would happen.  He even told us men would respond in fear, but then he said, "Don't fear!" 

Fear is the response of people overwhelmed by the circumstances, people who have lost sight of the Lord.

This very thing happened to Peter as he walked on the water to Jesus.  Matthew 14 says about Peter,  "but seeing the wind he became afraid and beginning to sink he cried out."  And in the next moment Jesus reached out and caught him, he was that close.  Peter had taken his eyes off of Jesus and was focused on the storm around him.

All around me are Christians focused on the storm.  All around I hear the voices of fear.  Somehow they have lost sight of Jesus and are beginning to sink.  Instead of crying out for help they magnify their fears and create fear for others as well.

But God invites us to imitate him, to emulate his personality in the midst of a world out of control.  His men and women look completely different from the fear driven religious people all around us.

Here's the nature and personality of God lived out, 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

These are the very things that come out of a person allowing the Spirit of God to live through them.  They are described as God's "fruit".  The result of being connected to him.  This is the personality of God, the lifestyle of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit of God in a life lived through him.

This is what should come out of a Christ follower.  And, to be honest, I don't see fear in there anywhere.  In fact, when Jesus caught Peter as he sank he asked, "Why were you afraid? Where's your faith?"

We need a community of people living by faith, living out the nature of God, imitating him.  We need people who are not afraid of the storms around them.  Men and women who know their God and trust him to live through them, to take care of them.

We don't need the perfect president, there isn't one.

We don't need to keep refugees out of our country for fear of what they might do, these are people who need Christ coming to our land for help.  

We need bold Christ followers allowing Christ to live through them, we need men and women imitating God in the midst of a lost world sinking in the storms of these last days.  

Fear should never be our response in these days.  We serve the king of glory, we are sons and daughters of the sovereign God.  Imitate Christ, allow him to live through you, be bold!  Christ is coming!