In The Image of God

Last night, I had the privilege of leading Bible study for the 2012 Camp La Vida summer staff. In an attempt to introduce WMU’s new organization for young women, myMISSION, I used the myMISSION curriculum for the study. Last night’s theme was “In God’s Image: God as Creator.”

I always enjoy reading the Genesis 1 creation story. I love how the story paints the image of God speaking the world into creation (talk about the power of words!) and I love how each day ends with God declaring God’s creation good (talk about the inherent worth of each individual!).

As we read the story together last night, I was struck by the order of it all—how each day began and ended and how God took God’s time creating it all (talk about the need for order and structure and time!). I was also struck by the language used for God’s creation of humankind—the language of God, “making,” “forming,” and “blessing” humankind—the language of humankind being created in God’s image.

Throughout the study, we focused on this notion of God creating us, forming us, imprinting a bit of Godself within us. We discussed how, as God’s children, our lives are to reflect the image of the one who made us.

Toward the end of the study, the writer, A.J. Jordan, asks participants to read Romans 1:20…For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20 NIV).

She goes on to say: “I have always read this verse and immediately assumed that when Paul mentions God’s qualities being seen from what He has made, Paul was talking about the mountains, the ocean, the sunrise, and sunset—the nature side of creation. What if even more than those things, Paul is referring to the pinnacle of God’s creation, His image bearers—us?”

What if…

What if more than the beautiful bio-diverse mountains, lakes, and streams that I was surrounded by last week—or the vastness of the ocean or the uniqueness of wild animals—Paul is talking about humanity in these verses? What if it’s us in which people should clearly see God but us through which people are drastically turned away? What if people needed to know the attribute of God? Could they come to you and not just hear those attributes from your mouth but see them in your life?

Oh God, creator of space, time, and all things good…Forgive us, those you formed in your own image, for being destructive to your creation, and accept this prayer of desire to be a good steward of all that has been given me, including this life, so that others will see you reflected in me. Amen.