Intentional, Personal Creation

          Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”… So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Gen. 1:26a, 27). 
            On the 6th day a unique relationship was established. God created a man in His image to be His representative on the earth. Because God is love, He created us for His pleasure to be loved and to show His love to others. Because God is just, He created us to also implement His kingdom ways and justice on the earth. 
            This opening scene speaks to the fundamental questions of humanity. How did we get here? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Where are we going? What does the future hold for us? It reveals God’s intentions toward us: He created us to function in His image as god-like guardians over the earth. He placed us in authority under His authority.
            To understand this purpose, we need to know what “in His image” means. God is an eternal spirit. This means every person is first and foremost a spirit being—our eternal inner being. Like God, we have a mind that can reason and plan ahead. We can even think about how we think, which no other earthly creature can do. We can also create, although we can only create from the earthly material God provided, whereas He created from nothing.
            This other aspect of our “inner man” is called our soul. It also includes our unique personality, emotions, desires, memories, conscience, imagination, and will. The Bible calls these two aspects of our inner being—our spirit and soul—as our heart. It is what “pumps life” through us.
            This inner man is contained in a body—our earth suit—that is made from the elements of this planet. It is made mostly of water and dust, which in God’s amazing hands doesn’t turn to mud but is an awesome, intricate design. God pre-designed or predestined us to partake of His nature. That’s not being God, but godlike, walking in godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4). Do you know what it means to be God’s representative? Stay tuned.
           
           The Chronos Lesson: We’re meant to become more and more godly in our daily lives. We do that by increasing in our knowledge of God and Jesus, and walking in that knowledge (2 Peter 1:3-4). We’re destined to look more and more like Jesus. We do that by renewing our soul and mind to the truths in God’s Word (Rom. 12:1-2). When our reborn spirit and our renewed mind are in agreement, then we partake of His divine nature already in us and experience God’s heavenly ways in our earthly lives.
            We won’t get it perfect on this side of the rapture because, for now, we see in part (1 Cor. 13:12). Still, we’re instructed to press on toward that high calling in Jesus (Phil. 3:13-15). The good news for now is that as believers, our spirit is sealed for that Day of Redemption.
            The hope of our calling is that at the appointed Day, the 7th Day, we shall be perfected. It happens when Jesus comes to gather us together with Him and take us to our prepared place in Father’s House in Heaven—His 2nd coming at the rapture. Then and only then will we be perfectly conformed to His image. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).
            Then and only then can we rightly execute God’s vengeance against evil and His righteous judgments against those who have rejected His authority as Creator.
            Thank you, Father, that we shall spend eternity with you, and forever be with our Beloved Lord!