O to Be Like Thee!

O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

These words to the old hymn, penned by Thomas O. Chisholm, have hit home lately. Every day I watch my 15 mos. old imitate me cleaning, talking on the phone, singing, etc. . . I am sometimes overwhelmed with the task before me: to be someone worth imitating! Lillie had a bib when she was younger that read “More Like Mama Everyday.” Yes, it is my great joy to see her holding a “microphone” and singing with such passion, yet I know she imitates me unaware of why. As an adult, I know full well why I need to imitate our Lord. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2). This gift, His sacrifice, should drive the believer to full surrender of self. Gladly forfeiting any earthly treasure, we should seek His perfect likeness through every word, deed, and thought.

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” (Eph. 5:8). The great desire of my heart is to walk in a manner worthy of the calling (Col. 1), so my daughter may reap the benefits of the fruit I bear. I pray she will be found asking this very same question some day . . . How do I become more like Christ so they can see all He is?