In God’s Image
Opening Prayer
Master Creator, I confess that I am your signature piece, the crowning work of Your hands.
Read Genesis 1:26-2:3
[26] Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” [27] So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [28] 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.” [29] Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. [30] And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. [31] God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day. [1] Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. [2] By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. [3] Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What does God say of humankind?Although God spoke an incredible universe into existence, there was still something missing. As Master Creator, God’s greatest expression of Self took the form of humankind, which He created in His own image and likeness (26.) Alone with His Creation, God yearned for something more: relationship. To satisfy this longing for companionship, He created human beings from the clay—male and female. God’s desire for connection, for communion and dialogue with His clay-crafted humans prompted Him to make an extraordinarily generous offer. The One Who had complete power and control gave His image-bearers the opportunity to share in His Creation. He designed it so they might be contributors to His operations in unique and significant ways. What a privilege that we should be considered co-rulers! What an honor to be thought of as partner-level managers by the Lord God Almighty! (26,28–30)Think about how incredibly gracious it is for God to permit us the opportunity to buy in to his work! Although God spoke an incredible universe into existence, there was still something missing. As Master Creator, God’s greatest expression of Self took the form of humankind, which He created in His own image and likeness (26.) Alone with His Creation, God yearned for something more: relationship. To satisfy this longing for companionship, He created human beings from the clay—male and female. God’s desire for connection, for communion and dialogue with His clay-crafted humans prompted Him to make an extraordinarily generous offer. The One Who had complete power and control gave His image-bearers the opportunity to share in His Creation. He designed it so they might be contributors to His operations in unique and significant ways. What a privilege that we should be considered co-rulers! What an honor to be thought of as partner-level managers by the Lord God Almighty! (26,28–30)Think about how incredibly gracious it is for God to permit us the opportunity to buy in to his work!
Apply
What might you do differently if you think of yourself as a partner of God?
Closing prayer
Gracious Creator, may I reflect Your glory as a co-worker in Your plan for the redemption of Creation.
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