Imago Dei by Jill Carattini

Take approximately 5 minutes to read this shortened version of yesterday's 'A Slice of Infinity'. Post comments to the blog for spiritual collaboration. Please email your prayer requests too.

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 ESV

Slice of Infinity Snippets:
Being made in the image of God is not about maintaining a flawless facade, a perfect record, or even a life without scars. All the power of God that raised him from the dead did not erase the scars left by the Roman nails. The marks of suffering were not removed. The resurrected Christ, the perfect image of God, chose to keep the scars of the Cross. It is his image we are being made to reflect. And we are called to come as we are.

What the leprous man recognized in Christ was enough to bring him to his feet in worship. It is this image that continues to erect the heads of the poorest beggars and bow the shoulders of the greatest emperors. It was the image of Christ that made its way into the insecurities of some in my youth group. Though there was "nothing in his appearance that we should desire him," he lived as one touched by another kingdom, obedient to the Father even unto death. In Christ, God supersedes every longing and pain, every sin and scar, with a face that won’t go away. It is this image within us, this image we were made to reflect. Imago Dei is the hopeful commission to become more like the one we follow. It is the cry within us to be who we are: children made in the image of the Most High.

Comments:
I easily believe that God will accept me, 'just as I am'. Nevertheless, when I think of someone who is not living up to my expectations of what people should look/act like, I quickly forget that they also can 'come as they are'. I forget they too, are image bearers. Yes, there comes a time when a person must hear that they need to turn from wickedness and God requires an entire reorientation of our lives. What I have difficulty in doing is encouraging people to go in a Kingdom direction. To be sure, I want to show them who they can turn towards, but I often feel inadequate to do so; or simply do not know how.

I think this is where service can enter in: Service (ministering) humbles us and lifts the head of those we serve.

Also, sharing our own brokenness can be a great help. But I want to move past only being a counselor myself, and point people to the true Counselor.

Perhaps opening up to Christ comes when we see Him lived out. When we know who we are and who He is; and we know that He still loves us.

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" John 4:28-29