More Like Jesus

Jesus Christ lived the only perfect life. Though scorned by His enemies and critics and sometimes even abandoned by His followers, Jesus remained true to His Father’s will. The following declaration from Jesus to His Father, just before going to the cross, verifies these statements, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given me to do” (John 17:4).

A gospel song contains these words in the first stanza:

I want to be more like Jesus, and follow Him day by day;

I want to be true and faithful, And every command obey.

As we study the record of our Lord’s life in the gospel accounts, we learn how to approach our lives and live day by day. Observing His faithfulness to His Father’s will, even in the midst of temptations and struggles, should strengthen our resolve to be true and faithful to Him. When we have a proper attitude toward the Lord and His will, our obedience will naturally follow. Indeed, true obedience always flows from a heart of love. As the Bible affirms, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (I John 5:3).

Following Jesus is always described as a strong commitment. For example, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The intention behind this statement was not to discourage people from following Him, but Jesus wanted people to be sure they understood what was involved. Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven” (Matthew 7:21). This statement from Jesus is a reminder that our obedience to Jesus is more than a one-time action. The obedience the Lord demands of those who follow Him is obedience to Him for as long as we live.

The refrain of this gospel song heralds a message of dedication to the Lord, who gave His life for us:

More and more like Jesus, I would ever be;

More and more like Jesus, My Savior who died for me.

The example of Jesus presents us with a perfect pattern to follow. May our dedication to following Him grow stronger with each passing day so that we will truly be more like Jesus.