Imitators of God

I was reading Ephesians 5 in my devotions tonight, and I came across this verse:

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 [NLT]

I started thinking... What would the church look like if her members really did live as imitators of God... I think things would be a lot different...

Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5 [Msg]

I want to love extravagantly! Be loved extravagantly! What a word! Could you imagine? If we all loved as Christ did, always putting others before ourselves, always giving of ourselves to better other people... Wow... The thought just blows my mind. How different our church would look! Listen to this, too:

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church - a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. Ephesians 5 [Msg]

Okay, yes it says that's how husbands should love their wives... BUT if that's how Christ loves the church, and we are ALL to be imitators of Christ, that is how we should ALL love EACH OTHER. Loving to bring out the best in each other, loving to evoke one another's beauty. Wow. Ephesians is powerful stuff! I highly recommend it!