Created in Our Father's Image | Genesis 1
Welcome to Real Life. What is God like? His image is reflected in you and me.
“Mirrors don't lie.
Lucky for you, they can't laugh either.”
–Anonymous
When I look into a mirror, I often see my father’s face—high forehead, thin lips, long eyelashes. I resemble my father’s side of the family. Just as I bear the image of my earthly father, you and I bear the image of our heavenly Father.
“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…”
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
(Genesis 1:26-27 NIV)
You and I were created in the image of God. So, what does that mean? Maybe it's not that we have inherited the color of our Father God’s eyes, but rather, his attributes are clearly evident in our psyche.
God is love. [1] He is both the author and the source. Love is the most beautiful, powerful, and significant force within us. The presence of love is one of the strongest proofs of the presence of God. He created us with both the need for love, as well as the capacity to love others. We are never more like God than when we open our hearts and love people well.
God is righteous and just. He created us with a conscience. When we lose our temper or lie or steal, we feel guilt and shame. Of course, we can ignore our conscience and grow immune to guilt and shame. But when we do that, we stop reflecting the image of our Father God.
God is sovereign. He has an absolute right and the supreme power to rule over his creation. He created us with a will that gives us the determination and desire to make choices and carry them out.
God is omniscient. He knows everything. Although we do not know everything, he created us with a mind capable of learning, retaining, and growing in knowledge.
God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible for him. He created each of us with some measure of power and influence. No one is an island. Our lives affect those around us—for good and for evil. When we inspire good in others, we are doing our Father’s work.
God is unchangeable. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.[2] He created us with character stability. Although we may mature and change certain behaviors, our personality traits tend to remain constant throughout our lifetimes. For example, I am quiet and contemplative. From my childhood, you could find me in a cozy nook enjoying a good book.
God is eternal. God has always existed. He has no beginning and will have no end. He created us to be immortal. You and I had a beginning, the moment of conception in our mother’s womb. But we will have no end. After our bodies die, our souls will live eternally—either with God in heaven or separated from God in hell. God desires that we all choose an eternity with him in heaven.[3] This is why he sent his Son Jesus Christ to come and save us.
When Jesus walked this earth, he perfectly reflected the image of God.[4] When we place our faith in Christ, his Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. His Spirit empowers us to live in a way that more closely resembles our Father God so that we reflect his love and light and truth in this world.
I bear the image of my earthly father. Through cosmetic surgery, I could drastically mare my appearance so that I no longer resemble him. However, the fact remains. I would still be his daughter. In the same way, we bear the image of our heavenly Father. We may choose to behave in a way that drastically mares God’s image in us. However, the fact remains. We would still be his. His attributes would remain deeply imprinted in our souls.
God created us. He sees us. He knows us intimately. We may run from him, but he will never stop calling us home to himself. (See my last blog, “Where are you, Child?”)
You and I were created in the image of God. Take a look in the mirror. Do you see your Father's face?
Dear Father God,
We want to look more like you.
Please help us live in such a way that
We reflect your goodness and kindness and love.
We pray that when the world looks at us,
They will say, “God is real!”
Because they see your image clearly reflected in our actions.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Mirror Image by Canva
[1] Based on concepts from “Summary of Divine and Human Attributes” courtesy of Five Aspects of Woman by Barbara K. Mouser
[2] Hebrews 13:8
[3] 2 Peter 3:9
[4] John 14:8-9
