Humans – such strange, complex, and profound beings. Intelligent and beautiful in many ways. We are crafted together with perfect finesse.
I’m sure being isolated in your home makes you crave relationships. Your desire for community is bursting. Though your own community may not have been deeply connected, it still gave you comfort knowing that people could get together. Now, you’re on your own, staring at your own four walls day in and day out.
God understands. He wanted community, relationships, and intimacy. He decided to create people to be in relationship with Him. He wanted to be able to bless us and wow us, to lavish His love and wealth of character upon us. So, He created an incredible universe. Then, He put His final touches on all creation, His icing on the cake, by creating humans. “He made them male and female” (Genesis 1:27b).
He didn’t just create humans. No, He upped the ante by creating humans in His image. “Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26a).
How are we made in the image of God? What does that look like? He made us radiantly beautiful and strong. He filled us with all sorts of His character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He created us with wisdom and understanding.
He gifted each one of us with different aspects of His abilities. He created some of us as preachers, teachers, healers, prophets, and administrators. He gave some the gift of wisdom, faith, or healing.
He spread His strengths among us with the intention to live in community together. By bringing all of our giftings together as “one body” (1 Corinthians 12), we serve others in the likeness of God.
The Lord, in His excitement for all He had just made, handed man the keys to His creation. Suddenly, man was given authority to run the whole earth.
“God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth – everything having the breath of life in it.” (Genesis 1:28-30)
God didn’t give man authority and walk away. Because He created us to be in relationship with Him, the next step was to teach man what he needed to know to do his job well.
My husband and his family own a local print shop. His grandfather started it, then his father took it over after that. Now, as my husband and his siblings get older, they have been given authority. But my father-in-law didn’t hand over authority and walk away. He’s staying with them to continue to teach them how to run the business in many different seasons and scenarios. This is helping them have greater success for their future.
God has worked the same way and continues to do so. He didn’t finish his teaching with Adam or even when Jesus came and left the earth. He continues to teach and lead us today. He desires community with us just as much as He did then. In fact, I think His desire grows the closer we approach His New Kingdom. Can you imagine the excitement that’s building as the Father knows the time and date His final Kingdom will come? When He can gather all of His children together and we can commune with Jesus face-to-face? When we can worship and live with Him with no barriers of sin between us? Wow, what a day that will be!
Though our present circumstances cause our eyes to drift to the things around us, choose to look up dear friends. Choose to lift your eyes to Jesus. Keep that communion with Him going. The Father will lead you as He has faithfully done for Adam, Noah, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Paul, and John. “He walks with [us] and He talks with [us]” (He Walks with Me). Don’t lose sight of that. He will teach you and lead you through this time. As He has given authority, blessing, and provision from the beginning of creation, He gives the same to us today. He will provide for us and show us each step of our way.
