Monday, April 23, 2018

Created in God's Image

On Earth Day we read the story of how God created humankind: Genesis 1:26-31.
"God created humankind in God's image; male and female God created them. [...] God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good."
When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see "very good?" 
If not, let me remind you that you are. Because God said so.
We talked a little bit about what that means, being created in God's image. Some said it means we are different than the animals, we have a special role. We are supposed to be like God, as much as humanly possible. We were created pure. 
Do you have an image of God in your mind? Do you imagine God looking a certain way? Is it the "old man upstairs?"
But if God created male and female in God's image that means God is as much female as male.
To me, God is neither. God doesn't really have a face. God is love and spirit, creativity and presence. God is good. And God created us the same way: to love, to be creative, to be good and do good. And to be connected to God, to the Great Spirit. We are material beings: We have bodies that get hurt and that age and that eventually will die. But we are also spiritual beings. We have a spirit that connects directly to God's spirit, and to all life. 
In Genesis 1:28, God tells humankind to rule over the earth. There's that special role that we were given.
To rule also means to have responsibility. To take care of. That's what God calls us to do: To be God's presence in this world, and to care for all living beings. 
I said yesterday: That's a big responsibility we didn't ask for. But God thinks we can do it or God wouldn't have given it to us. 
We are very good. We are not bad or evil or ugly. And the world needs us.
God help us! 

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