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Tag Archives: God-likeness

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“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15, NIV)

God is powerful, but He isn’t expecting us to be strong. Instead, God wants us to rely on His strength.

God is everywhere, but He never expects us to be in more than one place at one time. Instead, God wants us to be sensitive to His calling, so that we will always be at the right place at the right time to do His work, according to His plan.

God is all-knowing, but He never requires us to have all of the answers. Instead, God wants us to temper our measure of knowledge (however large or small) with wisdom.

In today’s psalm, David tells us that God is compassionate. Who among us will choose to be like God in that regard?

David tells us that God is gracious. Who among us would dare to be gracious?

God is slow to anger — and so should we.

God is abounding in love and faithfulness. From the overflow of our heavenly Father’s love and faithfulness to us, we are expected to be channels of love and faithfulness to others.

This is what it means to be like our heavenly Father. – Luther

Tagged God, God-likeness, the book of Psalms

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“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.'” (Acts 10:34-35, NIV)

As Peter was before his vision (please see Acts 10:9ff), we prefer people we like; and we prefer people like us. This is our nature apart from God, and it is the starting point of racism, sexism, nationalism, and all other preferences based on outward appearances and other superficial characteristics.

When we begin to see people as God sees people, we will be humbled by how often our personal preferences are tied to the most superficial human qualities. We will also be amazed at how often the persons accepted by God are 180-degrees out from us in physical appearance, cultural background, native language, and national origin.

God commands us to be like Him: Accepting of every person (nationality, race, culture, gender) “who fears Him and does what is right.” – Luther

Tagged bias, God-likeness, holiness, racism, the book of Acts

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“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined — and everyone undergoes discipline — then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” (Hebrews 12:7-8, NIV)

Even as flawed parents, we hope that our children will become as we are — only better. So, we allow various kind of inconveniences (of varying severity) to achieve that goal. Perfect in every way, our heavenly Father’s ultimate goal for you and me is that we become exactly like Him!

Whether we view the inevitable hardships of life as punishment (as some do); or as preparation (as others do), depends on the nature of our relationship with God.

When difficulties and hardships invade your life, do you ask, “Why me”; or do you say, “Why not”? – Luther

Tagged adversity, discipline, God-likeness, the book of Hebrews