In His Image and Likeness (Lent 4, 2023)

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When God created us, He created us not just in His Image, but also in His likeness.  When God created all the other animals, they were each created “according to their kinds” with the purpose of reproducing, each according to their kinds.

But when God created man, in a sense, He made man according to His kind—in His Image and in His likeness!  What an amazing thought that we are God’s kind of people–there’s something truly special about humanity that is somehow … like God.

It’s no wonder that the greatest temptation humanity would perpetually face is to be gods ourselves, to have more than just god-likenesses. It’s hard to put to words what God’s Image is, because God Himself is beyond our human understanding. However, the irony is that to be DIY gods, always seems so much more understandable or attainable to the finite mind living in temptation to be what we are not.

Focus for Lent: Repent of anything flesh-like. Instead, elevate your living to be God’s kind of people.

Questions for further thought:

If the original Adam (i.e., created to be perfectly reflective of God’s Image) were to look in the mirror, what would Adam have seen?  Would he have seen something like a child sees in his father or mother?  A family resemblance?

Adam and Eve had no problem seeing God face-to-face in the beginning.  Why can’t we see God face-to-face now?

Prayer:  Father God, we praise You that through the Holy Spirit, we can come boldly before Your throne, forgiven by Christ Jesus, and our sins washed away.  We can meet You spiritually face-to-face in Jesus and His Word.  We praise You that someday we will know You even as we are fully known.  We see now through a “glass darkly” as the Apostle Paul put it and ask that You would hasten the day of Jesus’ return so that we will have finished the work You sent us to do, fulfilling that multiplication of Your Image on earth, bringing glory to You, and we will finally know You as the original Adam did.  We look forward to that day, Lord.  Until then, please keep us focused on the mission and bringing glory to You.  In Christ Jesus, Amen.

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Categories Articles and Devotionals, Devotionals | Tags: | Posted on February 25, 2023

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