Made in the Image of God

We are made in the image and likeness of God

WHAT DOES MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD MEAN?

This is confusing if taken literally.

Isn’t it amazing how no two humans look identical?…

Except of course identical twins…

How is it possible then for us all to look like God? 

He must be such a chameleon.

Thinking about this…

The fact that no two humans look alike is a great reason to believe in the creator…

But I digress. 

If we move away from considering the image to be physical what else can it mean?

WE ARE GOD‘S CREATION

THEN GOD SAID “LET US MAKE MANKIND IN OUR IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS,”

GENESIS 1: 26

Given this was a deliberate act of God… it must have some meaning.

So what is God like?

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

If we go through what we consider God is like…

Maybe we can spot some similarities…

Let’s list God’s traits and whether we have inherited them.

Supernatural… no

Holy… no

Divine… no

Perfect… no

All powerful… no

All knowing… no

This is tough.

We are nothing like God.

Maybe he gave us another clue in the bible…

GOD GAVE US RESPONSIBILITY

GOD BLESSED THEM AND SAID TO THEM, “BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER; FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. RULE OVER THE FISH IN THE SEA AND THE BIRDS IN THE SKY AND OVER EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES ON THE GROUND.”

GENESIS 1:28

So God trusted us with his creation and told us to rule over every creature in his kingdom.

He made us his caretakers.

This is alarming that we have made such a mess of things.

Maybe there are consequences for our failure to respect God’s creation?

If God gave us kingship over his world and we have acted like thugs, what will God do next?

Isn’t the bible exciting? 

I bet you want to know the answer but that is the subject of another post.

GOD, THE CREATOR, GAVE US THE GIFT OF CREATION.

God gave man the ability to create.

God gave man imagination.

God gave man the resourcefulness to think of something…

Design it and…

Create it.

You don’t see a squirrel knitting a jumper.

You don’t see an elephant building a sky scrapper.

WE ARE VALUABLE TO GOD

God made us in his image remember.

So in some respects we are like him.

Not just Christians or Jews, or men, but all mankind, correction humankind.

There is no selection by God.

He loves us all.

Everyone.

Another amazing attribute of God.

He loves you and me.

What has he asked us to do in return for that love?

HOW DO WE BECOME MORE LIKE GOD INTENDED?

“LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.”

LUKE 10:27

So God made us like him in our capacity to love him and each other. 

God is love… we can love… only because God is love. 

If we want to know God… love. 

If we want to lose fear… love. 

If we want to have a joyful and fulfilled life… love.

DEAR FATHER GOD WE THANK YOU FOR CREATING US IN YOUR IMAGE AND FOR LOVING US. WE ASK THAT YOU FORGIVE US FOR FAILING TO LOVE YOU AND EACH OTHER ENOUGH AND THAT YOU SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OVERFLOW WITH LOVE FROM EACH OF US. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN