…Before your head hits the pillow…

In His Image

During the course of our married life, our family has had three special dogs. Muffy was a Lhasa Apso. She was sweet and gentle but not that terribly smart. Then we had Phoebe who was happy and spirited. She was a smart dog who quickly sensed our moods and loved to take walks. Now we have Molly, who we believe is the smartest dog that ever lived. She seems to understand what we say and even what we are thinking. She loves to go fishing and although she delights at the thought of taking a walk, she would never sacrifice fishing to do so. She understands what it means when the bobber goes under and jumps with anticipation at the potential of reeling in a fish.

We also have seven grandchildren. Our youngest two are three years old. We can tell either of them to go get us their pajamas and they know what do to. If we were to ask them to go get the drum from the toy room, they would proudly walk downstairs and deliver the drum. They REALLY understand words. They did not have to be conditioned to do so, they just learned and understood what the words meant.

Although you can train a dog to fetch your slippers or do a trick, you can never tell them to go get something they had never before seen. If our granddaughters had a drum at home, they would be able to discern what a drum is at our house. So what is the difference between those special pets and our granddaughters?

Our granddaughters were created in the image of God. When God created man He created them differently than plant life, than the birds of the air or the fish of the sea. He created them differently than the mammals of the earth. He created them in His very own image. God created man from the dust of the earth and He Himself breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. –Genesis 2:7.

God created you and He created me to bear His own image. We are not exact replicas but we do resemble Him in certain ways. He created us to feel, to think, to speak, and to understand. He gave us creativity. He created man with the ability to make things, to paint paintings, to compose music, and to invent things. God was creative and so is man. God created man as a social being. We were created to have fellowship with others and with God.

When God created man, Adam and Eve were morally perfect. He created man holy and without sin. But when Adam and Eve sinned that image of God within us was distorted. It was no longer perfect as God had created it. Man became jealous and envious, as happened with Cain and Abel. Man became arrogant as we saw during the building of the tower of Babel. Man became angry and hostile.

But thank God, that is not where this story ends. When we accept Christ as our Savior Paul says in Colossians 3:10 that in the place of our wickedness “…you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.” And Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:24, “You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy, and true.”

So why is this so important? We have so many Christians who struggle with their own self-worth. They delve into self-help books and some even listen to Dr. Phil or Oprah to find their worth. We must understand that our worth is innate. That means our worth inborn, it is natural. We are worthy because we are created in the image of the creator of the universe.

If you are struggling to find your self-worth, look no further than to God Himself. He created you in His image. He loves you. He cares about you. He hears your cries and wishes to speak with you about your troubles. And after you come to know Christ as your Savior, that image of God begins its renewal. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were cast out of the Garden of Eden and their daily walks with God ceased. They no longer had unfettered access to their heavenly Father.

But when Jesus died on the cross He bridged that gap and we can now again enter directly into the presence of God. We can sit and talk to Him. We can listen to Him and He will respond. Our relationship with God gets stronger and stronger the closer we walk with Him. The more time we spend in His Word, the more time we spend talking and listening to Him, and the more time we spend learning about His desire for our life the more we become like Him. We are being restored, we are being sanctified.

So if you are doubting your worth, look no further than God. God sees your worth and so should you! God created you and He has specific plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” These are God’s promises. You are a redeemed child of the King. People may hurt you and things may be tough, but this can never be taken away. YOU are HIS and HE is YOURS! In this you can find your value and your worth! And one day, in the not too distant future, you will wear a crown.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12. What a day that will be!!!