I meditate slowly on the Gospels. I meander through a paragraph listening to God, wondering what it was like in the day of Jesus. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve journeyed through John’s Gospel, but plenty. Yet not so long ago this verse popped out. Actually, it thrilled me to the point of amazement. Yes, Jesus mirrors God exactly, perfectly, truly, but in that moment a subtle whisper came — I designed you to do the same.
No, I don’t make any such claim to have the same nature as Jesus, the God-man, but I heard through that verse that if my interior, my soul, was well-ordered around God, I would reflect God’s character, as an image-bearer, in the way of Jesus. Christlikeness took on a new meaning for me and a new possibility.
At that point I pondered, “What does Jesus believe about God’s love and presence?” As soon as I had that thought, an impression, as if from God came: Jesus had such confidence in the Father’s love, such great interaction, that He could die a horrendous death on our behalf. Jesus felt supremely secure and loved! No questions asked. Simple trust. He knew His Father cared and He lived in light of that love.
Huh, I wondered in quietness with God, what would it look like if I trusted God’s love like Jesus?
Maybe I would relax, receive life as good, express gratitude, not get anxious in difficult situations, remember I am loved too. Maybe I would cease to compete with others and learn humility of soul since God cares for me and them. I might even listen well or love better or start automatically considering others as more important. The list went on as I reflected.
Then it hit — if I did that, maybe I might better mirror Christ, better imitate Him? Yet it starts with rearranging my interior life around God’s radical love and that I am loved. Jesus shows me that.
I can’t fully put it into words, but as I pondered with God, my soul felt lifted-up to the possibility of relaxing, reflecting, and mirroring God’s character, as I can, as a human with a nature designed to bear His image. Mirroring Truth; God loves, and me attaining my potential with God filling me, bearing His image well. God help me receive Your love, so my heart rearranges to reflect You!
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