Made in His Image
What will strengthen our motivation to keep our Faith as top priority in our lives? Knowing why and for what you were made!
Shakespeare’s Hamlet features Polonius, who utters the now-famous words, “For the apparel oft proclaims the man.” Of course, there’s also the famous business advice, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have!” All this focus on apparel makes one wonder if men are unaware of their true selves.
We are creatures susceptible to vanity and ego, especially regarding the image we want others to have of us. But can we project who we really are if all we have is our vanity to guide us? Is there an Image that best orients us to our true selves?
No wonder we are always in the fervent scramble of humanity to “find” itself. Or to give life meaning through some cause or hobby. Humans are trying this and trying that, all in an attempt to make the reflection in the mirror make sense. But, in the end, do the clothes really make the man?”
Look at our Lesson today in Genesis 1:24-2:3:
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.
The gift of life that God grants His world is priceless, but the story of Genesis isn’t meant to answer all questions regarding the origin of life.
The focus of Genesis is the story of Creation, specifically the creation of humanity. Nowhere else does Moses use words like he describes God’s making of humankind. Look at how and why God made us.
First is the Holy Trinity's revelation when God says, “Let us make man in our image…” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit create humanity in the image of God so that humanity can be “like” God, Persons in Communion. Why do you think God separated the male and the female in His Humanity? So that we humans can learn the valuable wisdom of working to be in communion.
Next, God blesses His Humanity. He commands them to “be fruitful and multiply.” He tells them to “fill the earth and subdue it…” Why? This will also teach humanity responsibility and communion. None of these words by God to His Humanity are meant to give humanity license to exploit but to be stewards of the GIFT of Creation. How else will we learn to be “like” God if we don’t know how to care for God’s creation as He cares for it?
Finally, “it was very good.” The perfect setting, situation, and couple had been set in the Garden to begin the process. Everything was provided. Everything was “good.” And this is “good” from God’s perspective, so this judgment of the goodness of creation, including us, comes to us from God’s perspective, not from some more minor judgment of a lesser voice!
During this Clean Week of the beginning of Great Lent, the Church gives us services every day this week, special prayers and even these readings from Genesis to bring us to the foundation of WHY we do the hard work of Great Lent - We are undoing the temptation of smallness in our lives and being reminded that we are made in God’s Image to become Like Him so that we can enjoy being With Him forever. That focus on our eternal purpose gives us strength to wake up to our loving God and His love for us so that we cooperate with His Spirit during this time of year to lay aside all that distracts us from this eternal purpose!
Today, during this first week of Great Lent, even with all the confusion about what humans are meant to be, wisdom insists we return to the beginning and search for our purpose and destiny. We were made FOR Him and to be LIKE Him. Whatever fosters communion and stewardship of God’s good gift is where we will find our most authentic selves. Seeing Jesus as the One Perfect Humanity helps us become who we were created to be! That is the Real Normal Orthodoxy!
P.S. All those who for refuge flee with faith unto you, O good one, you shelter beneath your mighty hand. We your servants have no other intercessor like you always praying to God for us in dangers and sorrows, sinners that we are, bent down because of many misdeeds. Therefore, we fall prostrate before you. Rescue us from every affliction, since you are the Mother of the Most High God. (from Great Compline)
Fr. Barnabas Powell is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, GA. He is also the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries and produces the Faith Encouraged Daily Devotional on Substack. Watch the Faith Encouraged YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@FaithEncouragedTV
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