My God, My Pattern

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 11:1(NKJV); Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

God is a pattern.

If God is a pattern, why then is it that when people look at the lives of some Christians, they do not see the life of God manifested through them?

The answer is that some Christians have not regarded God as a pattern. He is their emergency appeal in times of need; He is their absentee landlord showing up only when situations turn distressing; He comes to their minds only when it is convenient for them. They have not patterned their lives after Him.

Think about it deeply, why would Christ confidently say, “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father?” (John 14:9).

God was a pattern to Him in every way.

He said, “Whatever the Father does, the son also does.”(John 5:19). Every miracle, every act of compassion and every word He spoke was an imitation of the Father.

Paul understood the power of understanding God as a pattern. Because He did, Christ too became His pattern. If this was not the case, Paul would have no authority to ask the Church at Corinth to imitate him.

If there is nothing worth admiring about your life, you may want to question who your pattern is. Is it a mere man? Is it a TV show? Is it a book? or is it God?

Do you ask yourself while going about your day to day tasks whether they are the God-way of doing it? Is your relationship with your parents the God-way of relating? Is your attitude towards your boss a God-attitude? Is the way you run your ministry a God-way to build ministry? What about your financial disciplines, are they the God-way of handling finances?

Surely, if people examine your life and question the God you seek, ask yourself if God is indeed your pattern. You might think He is because you assume so. Set aside your assumptions and do some serious soul searching.

The truth of the matter is that the God-way of doing things rings with admirable beauty and it always has great results. If God is indeed your pattern, the world around you will know it.

FURTHER STUDY: John 5:19, John 14:9

GOLDEN NUGGET: God is a pattern. The God-way of doing things rings with admirable beauty and it always has great results. If God is indeed your pattern, the world around you will know it.

PRAYER: Father, You are great. Your ways are excellent and in them is the path of life. I dedicate my life to understanding the God-way of doing things: of ministry, building a career, financial growth, marriage, parenting and all the other things pertaining to my life. When men see me, they see You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.