Godly, Not Gods

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I want to make it absolutely clear at the beginning of this eDevotion that you are not God, a god, nor will you ever be God, or a god. The reason I make that disclaimer is that many religions, philosophies, and New Age pundits promote that very thing. It is one of the oldest lies known to man. We find its origin in the book of Genesis when Satan declared to Adam and Eve that if they would follow his way, they would “be as gods” [Genesis 3:5].

Since that time, mankind has had the desire to control circumstances, the future, and the people around them. In other words, we want to be the master of our fate. Our problem is that we are creatures, and we will never, ever, be the Creator! The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t expect you to become a god. He wants you to be godly. That means adopting His values and character. Paul called it, “an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life,” in his letter to the Ephesian Christ followers.

Knowing that God wants us to be godly will help us face life head-on. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me,” as if we are gods and don’t deserve such state of affairs, we will see that every difficulty enables us to grow in Christlikeness. 

It also helps us to remember that earth is not heaven. Never make the mistake of thinking that the “abundant life” [John 10:10] is perfection; perfect health, a lavish lifestyle, instant relief from every problem, or they-lived-happily-ever-after. That kind of thinking makes God out to be a genie, not a sovereign, almighty God. 

We exist for His glory and purposes, not ours. Our time on earth, and the experiences we have, are God’s way of developing godliness in us. In other words, He’s building and strengthening our character, preparing us for heaven.

Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:22-24 [The MESSAGE Paraphrase]