IN THE IMAGE OF GOD: WE SERVE

Situation
In a prayer request that I received recently, the person wrote about not being able to feel God’s presence and of feeling far from God.  I understand that.  Due to a time of physical trauma and no sleep for a few days, I went into a cycle of panic attacks for several days.  I did not feel God’s presence at that time; I only felt fear.  (I am not sure that under those brain-chemistry conditions, one can “feel” God’s presence.  Yet, Jesus did not abandon me.  There were people close me who have a chemical propensity to panic attacks.  They understood.  They cared for me, encouraged me, and basically carried me through those days.  Jesus was “in” those people.  Jesus was with me.

Response
I am reminded of a popular poem, “Footprints in the Sand”:¹

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you.”

Theological Application for Ministry
The obvious point of the poem above for the sufferer is that God may well be present in ways that we do not feel or recognize.  However, there is an important theological application for ministry to be made.  The theological point involves that fact that God made humanity in God’s image (Gen 1:26).  We were made to represent God in and to this world.  (See my post “Created in the Image of God: Forgotten Aspects,” February 1, 2024.)  That, too, is the mission of being participants in the Kingdom of God in this world, of being living-in-the-flesh members of the Body of Christ.  When people do not feel close to God, we are here for their sake.  When people have panic attacks, we are here for their sake.  When people are in need, we are here for their sake.  Jesus called his followers to be servants, slaves to others (Mark 10:41-45).

Lord Jesus, I pray for the person who feels far from you.  I do pray for the Presence of your Holy Spirit in that person’s life that they would feel you nearby.  I also pray that you will surround that person with people created in your image, people who are living in you image, people who will serve and comfort that person in your name.  Help me to be such a person.  Amen
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1)  I do not know whom to credit for the poem.  Authorship has been claimed by a few people, and the poem itself has earlier antecedents.

CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD: FORGOTTEN ASPECTS

 

Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth." (Gen 1:26 NET)

 Theologians have long debated what it means to be created in God’s image.  However, there is an aspect from the ancient Near East that they have often ignored, one that is important to me.  In that world, a king would claim to be in the image of a god, the state god.  Their images would be displayed to remind the public who was in charge.  The claim to represent that god to the people and the people to that god was a political power move.  [Note: Israel “separated church and state,” when kings were forbidden to take on priestly roles.]

When the Israelites, inspired by God, adopted and adapted ancient creation accounts, they presented a new, radical view of humanity:

God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. (Gen 1:26 NET)

All of humanity, not just kings -- and equally including male and female! -- were created in the image of God.  This understanding obliterates hierarchical social structures in which we find ways to degrade others as beneath us.  (Not that the people of Israel lived up to this divine designation, but it is foundational to biblical creation theology.)  All of humanity, each one of us, is created to represent God.

A second aspect is that, as God has sovereign rule over the cosmos, we have been granted sovereignty over the earth and all life upon it.  What is the model of that sovereignty?  In Genesis 1:1-2:3, God brings order into chaos and light and life come forth – what God sees as “good” (tov).  Our role, then, is to address chaos and all that is contrary to life; that is, to work for order and life, to work for what God calls good.

Application: No matter how minutely theologians want to parse what it means to be created in the image of God, two matters are clear to me.  1) All humans without discrimination are to be honored as created in that image.  2) Taking up that honor, we are to serve our Creator by working for order and life.  There is and cannot be a greater calling than this!

Thank you, God, that I and all those around me have been made to represent you.  Forgive my failures and enable me in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Spirit to honor you by bringing order and life to the world of your creation.  Amen.