You Bear a Striking Resemblance of Your Father

People often say my daughter resembles me and my granddaughter resembles her, and I resemble my mother. It’s undeniable – we were all cast from the same mold. My son is undeniably, His dad’s son. They RESEMBLE each other.

My word for today is, obviously, RESEMBLE: to have qualities or features, especially those of appearance, in common with (someone or something); look or seem like.

While I love that compliment “You look just like your mother” or “Your daughter and granddaughter certainly look like you” – most importantly I want for them and me to RESEMBLE our Heavenly Father – and to RESEMBLE Him is to resemble His nature and His ways. Ever heard someone say, “The more we live together, the more we finish each other’s sentences and we’re even starting to look alike?” That’s what I pray for in my relationship with God. And the more time I spend with Him, the more I know His plans and purposes for me, and the more I (like to think), that I start to RESEMBLE Him. His nature is LOVE. This is the month of love and what better time to become LOVERS of God and RESEMBLE Him in His love for others.

This life we live is truly all about love. Of course it is, because God IS LOVE and the most important lesson He wants us to learn on earth is how to love. To say “I love you” can sound like a cliché if our actions (or our RESEMBLANCE of God) don’t measure up to those words. We say “I love you” in the same sentence that we say “I love chocolate cake” and there are times when it seems the one saying those words, loves chocolate cake more than us.

Learning to love unselfishly is certainly not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centered nature. That’s why we’re given a lifetime to learn it. God continues to demonstrate His love to us each and every day. And that’s why He is our role model and why those who spend time with Him will start to RESEMBLE Him and His ways. Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”

God wants His family to RESEMBLE Him and to be known for love more than anything else. Jesus said our love for each other – not our doctrinal beliefs – is our greatest witness to the world. He said, “Your strong love for each other will PROVE TO THE WORLD that you are my disciples.” John 13:35. He proved to the world His love – and now as we love and serve, we take on His character and RESEMBLE Him.

It’s admirable that we could RESEMBLE our Father within our four walls and in our own families, but love isn’t learned from hiding out with our four, and no more. We must be around people, even those cranky, grumpy and even frustrating people around us, because God's LIGHT of LOVE in us is what the world needs NOW. In Acts 10:38 we see how Jesus RESEMBLED His Father everywhere He went: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good.”

Resembling our Father is to LOVE. It matters most. It takes top priority. So, let’s be LOVE show-offs and RESEMBLE our Dad today!