Conformed to Christ! And a Conversation with AJ Sherrill on Contemplative Prayer (EP 37)
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Sheltering at home during Coronavirus caused some strained relationships to completely break down. Irritations became unbearable. People we thought we loved (family) were almost unlovable after a month locked up together.
On the other hand, there are other people we would long to be quarantined with. (We’d probably get annoyed by them, too). I’m speaking about those few people we deeply admire. They have the qualities we desire. We look up to them. We listen when they talk, sharing gems of wisdom. We might even study their lives.
One of those men in my life was Sid. I had been a Christian less than two years when he took me under his wing to lead me further into spiritual maturity. I admired Sid. In fact, I spent so much time with him for a year that I started to behave like him. He was my role model and did a good job of it. Sid built healthy habits into my life that are still present today. He modeled Christ. I noticed and followed.
Who is your Sid? It might be someone who took time with you. Or is taking time today. It may be an author you read, a speaker you watch or listen to, a podcaster you take in. These days, your greatest influencer doesn’t need to be someone you know. We have access to role models in many forms and on many platforms. You begin talking like them, thinking like them, even acting like them.
Hang around them long enough and you’ll be a clone.
How would you like to be like Jesus? Not WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) but HWJB (How Would Jesus Be?).
You will be. It’s your destiny.
One of my favorite verses in Scripture is a promise in Romans 8:29: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (NIV)
That means I’m going to be like Jesus someday! When I get to heaven, my sin will be banished and I will be fully like my Savior.
Think about it. You’re going to be like Jesus.
The topic continues on this episode....
FEATURED GUEST: AJ Sherrill
AJ Sherrill is the author of one of my favorite books, Being With God: The Absurdity, Necessity and Neurology of Contemplative Prayer. He and his wife once lived in busy, noisy and always awake Manhattan. When their daughter came along, they knew it was time to move to a more peaceful place. That move was part of AJ’s journey to knowing Christ more deeply. You’ll hear other parts of his story in the interview. He’s a papa, pastor and podcaster. His church is in South Carolina where he and his family live.
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
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Being With God: The Absurdity, Necessity and Neurology of Contemplative Prayer
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