Imago Dei

When I look in the mirror what do I see?

First of all, I just got used to looking in the mirror. But that's just me and my personal battle, that I've overcome. Jonathan McReynolds has a song called Lovin' Me. One of the lines says "when I look in the mirror and don't like what I see, You keep lovin' me". Isn't that powerful? Sometimes I don't like what I see in the mirror. It can be that I just look a hot mess or that I have done something I am not proud of and see the shame and regret on my face. The Bible discusses abiding in Christ as He abides in you. (John 15:4-7) We are His temple, correct? Yet God cannot live in an unholy place so is it time to do some spring cleaning in your temple? I am not throwing shade, I just want to pose a question to those who read this blog. Imago Dei, the image of God. Let's go back to the beginning: Genesis 1:26-27.

"And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

This comes from the King James Version because I'm old school like that. For any confusion that might ensue, when it says "our" it is God talking to himself and since He is triune  (three in one) it is plural not singular. God created man in his own image. Therefore we should look like God. When we stare at the mirror brushing our teeth, doing our hair, putting in contacts, we should not only see ourselves but see Him in the reflection. Remember Mulan? Well, when will your reflection show who you have inside? What I love about the term "Imago Dei" is that it means that no matter what we look like on the outside we should all look like Him on the inside. There is no set group of people that look more like God than any other. It's only equality in Jesus Christ and if anyone tells you different you need to quote Jesus and say "Get thee behind me Satan!" We all look like God, which goes back to my old post about diversity in the Kingdom. I feel like that is an encouragement that you should take with you and if it helps, repeat it on the daily. Remember who He made you to be. He loved you so much that He made you, specifically, to look like Him. 

Personally, I see me but do I see Him within me? Not always. And that is not good at all. Because I can't be holy sometimes. Hate cannot live in the same place as love. As I said, God cannot abide in someone who is living in sin. Before I go on let me clarify something, living in sin means continuing to sin with no remorse. It does not mean slipping every now and again. We are all human, we all sin sometimes. Anyway, God cannot live in those who live in sin and so we have to clean our house like Isaac Carree. So I need all of you to declare:

I can't focus on the past and all my shortcomings in it, I have to move on and look to the future!

Moving Forward- Israel Houghton

How can we, as Christ-followers work to see Him in our reflection?

This is not an easy question to answer and if you have any suggestions feel free to comment below! I have been praying and asking God how I can make sure that He is proud of me and the answer came to me in a short sermon by Tony Evans in his "Watch Your Mouth" series. I was watching part 3 of the series this morning and it was like God opened up the clouds and a ray of sunshine fell on me. He said that our words and thoughts can either make God happy or it can frustrate Him. The Israelites complained because they didn't get what they wanted although they had what they needed. Ouch! I will be the first to say that sometimes I complain because things don't go exactly the way I want them to, forgetting to be grateful for the things I have. Clothes, a home, food, and a relationship with God. Psalm 19:14 is a scripture we are all familiar with.

But maybe it's time to stop repeating and praying this scripture mindlessly and truly believe in the things you are saying. Pray for it earnestly. Ask God to change your heart so that your words and your thoughts reflect Him! Instead of using your words to harm others or yourself, use them to encourage others. Our speech reflects the state of out hearts (Matther 12:35-37). God is going to bring every single idle or hurtful word to our remembrance when we pass away. He is going to play back everything we have ever said, will it make Him proud? Do you believe that your words will make Him proud to call you His child? I know it's hard, it is something I will have to work on but this is one way I think I can reflect God when I look in the mirror. What do you think?

Well Done by Deitrick Haddon