Ephesians 5:1-5

1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Questions to consider:

• What would it look like for you to be an imitator of God?
• What does a life that is "lived in love" entail?
• How can you be working to keep out all of the negative things that the author points out as not befitting a beloved child of God?

Possibilities for prayer:

The phrase "live in love" seems rather striking. If love characterized all of our lives, my guess is that things would be pretty different--especially when one considers that the example the author gives of someone who followed that principle is Jesus. Let's make it our prayer today that we might live in love, turning away from the things that challenge or dilute love's goodness. Let's ask Jesus to guide us in the decisions we make so that we might actually follow the example that has been set for us.