MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE
WE ARE CREATED FOR SO MUCH MORE – than what the world tells us. There are places in scripture that refer to how high God regards us, placing all of God’s creation in our care, as we hear in Psalm 8: “3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; 4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? 5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.” We were put in charge of caring for creation, and because we were, we have been given a position of trust and responsibility. This is a privileged position, yet we now expect the privilege without fulfilling the responsibility.
In Hebrews 2, we are reminded: “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.” After quoting Psalm 8, we are also reminded: “Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out.”
Since the time of creation, God has been establishing a partnership with us, one that we seem determined to slip away from, to instead do our own thing. We get angry over the state of our world, our country, our town or our church community. Some of us get angry with God for the mess we have, and ask God: “where are you?” Yet God never waivers in loving us and extending forgiveness to us. God walks with us through each day, lending us loving support and guidance, as partners do. God encourages us in using our gifts and talents – for our joy and fulfillment, as well as the value it adds to our collective lives. As a partner, God is always ready to fulfill the promises of creation with us. We are invited to be a part of this loving work, using the gifts we have been given for that purpose. God’s unconditional love and forgiveness makes it possible for us to be a part of all this glory, learning to do it as we take each step toward God. Creator God, we are grateful and yet humbled to think you want us to be involved in renewing creation. We may be overwhelmed and still feel ourselves drawn to your invitation. Help us begin to open ourselves for what you offer us and begin the path to partnership with you, in unconditional love and forgiveness. Amen. PEACE