In The Image of God?

Standing in front of a mirror and being honest about the image we see reflected is not always an easy thing. It can be even harder just to be kind to ourselves when our flaws are so distracting, but when we're asked to look for God in our image, I don't know about you, but I find the task a little harder. It's such a different notion from what I encounter in everyday life. 

I have just turned thirty, an unmarried born-again Christian woman with all my God-given time, hopes, and dreams ahead of me. Yet every day I am told in socially ingrained nuances and profit-driven media that my time is running out to achieve them. I must groom and dress a certain way, and I have to buy this thing and the other thing and post online about my holiday and my weight loss to be successful or seen as a valued member of society.

Where is God in my reflection? I think about Genesis and about how mankind was created in the image of God, and God's likeness. It must be there then! Could others look at me and see it in myself more easily than I do?

Then I am reminded of a scripture that resonates with me as someone early in their faith walk:

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”

Colossians 3:10, NLT

And then the kind of peace and centredness only our Lord’s truth can bring washed over me. To be Christ-like goes beyond the tangible. It goes beyond the shallow pursuits praised upon social media and socially coveted objects. God’s likeness is between every heartbeat and breath until we openly follow him to be an agent for his work for all the world to see.

I then see that God is everywhere and within all of us. When we spoke words of comfort, he was there. When we cared for someone in need, he was there. When we chose to be humble, he was there, and when we chose to forgive he was there.

Just like the clothes we put on, our attitude and actions are an exhibition, and it is our choice to choose what to display as well as praise. The choice is not always clear, or an easy one to make without temptation, however, I pray that we stay steadfast in our faith so that we may grow ever closer to our lord and know him and his will to be done.

Blog post by: Kristy Bull