In Which We Were Created in God's Image

This morning over devotion with our children, the reading led to conversation about how we each were created in God's image. When you think about who God is, and how he created the earth and every living creature and said it was good, then created man and woman and said they were very good, it's pretty silly to believe we may have rather evolved from monkeys. We got a chuckle out of that. Then we looked at a few of the things that make animals and humans different.

Although we certainly have animal-like instincts, which are completely selfish, we cannot undermine that we were created for so much more because we were created in the image of God.

Created with a spirit
In his image, we were created with a spirit, a higher-being. God is all spirit and he created us with a spirit, not to BE God, but to be in relationship with him. And through that relationship, we were created to rise above our selfishness and see beyond ourselves. We were created with a spirit that longs for more (ultimately God) and not to settle for simple earthly pleasures.

A beautiful young college-aged woman spoke yesterday at our church about her year on a mission with the World Race - twelve months through twelve countries. One of the biggest lessons God revealed to her about herself through this experience was about her identity - that she was created for victory, not compromise.

What a beautiful message reinforcing that we were created for more!

Created with a mind
In his image, we were also created with a mind. God is intelligent and he created us to be intelligent, not to intellectualize him away, but to think with the mind of God, used to care for and subdue our world for his glory. 

One of the stories this young lady shared yesterday, which also stuck with me, was about her team in China and she sitting and talking about her faith with three Chinese girls who knew little to no English. In speaking of her faith, she had to break it down into the simplest terms to get it across to these girls in a way they could understand her language. And they got it. One put her trust in Christ that day. The other two at a later time.

The point being in that we use our intelligence to complicate matters of faith, when really the core message is very simple.

Our intellect is a gift that should be in sync with God's intellect rather than complicating his existence and purposes.

Created to Serve 
Our conversation this morning was a mere ten minutes and very light-hearted yet, the message is a vital one. Because what it really boils down to is who we are willing to serve - ourselves or God, ultimately.

That is not to say that we are not capable of serving others if we are unsure about God. But it is to say we are selfish beings, who live with ulterior motives, and put conditions on our circumstances. Only in Christ can we truly serve selflessly and love unconditionally through the Holy Spirit working in us. And that is what we were created for. That ability makes us far different than any animal and created with a much greater purpose, from the very beginning.

In all of this, we have the ability to reject God. We have the ability to reject human life as created in God's image. Yet the dignity we put on life (though inconsistent when we make up our own rules) and our quest to believe in something, anything, just might be telling us that we really do believe even when we say we don't.

As for this house, we believe all of life and creation points back to God.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (emphasis mine) Joshua 24:15

How do you reconcile science with creation when talking with your children?

Sharing with Finding Heaven, The Better Mom, The Wellspring,  Graceful, A Pause on the Path,  Titus 2 Tuesdays, Consider the Lilies, Raising Arrows