What does "In His Image" mean?

It says in Genesis that when God created the human creature he created them "in his image".  

Now, since we are unable to see, touch or even hear God; we cannot know what that "image" looks like or means.  

But I imagine it as a creation that is like God in heart, will and purpose.  

We are created to be like God inside the skin of what is called human.  

I imagine it means that God gave us the power/ability to be loving, compassionate and sympathetic to all that God has made.  

I do not think it means we look like God.  

It means much more!

And the best news, for this simple mind at least, is that we don't have to measure-up.  Actually we will never be perfect love.  We will always fall short of God.  

Always!

But it doesn't matter!  

                                 It doesn't matter to God!  

What matters to God is that we have the desire to live as he has made us to live.  And he has given us all we need to do just that.  

God has given us his very Spirit, to live within our skin, to enable us to be right.  I didn't say best or better, or the winner of all the silly games of proof that we are correct.  

But with his Spirit, as our companion on this earthly journey, we are who we are.  And we do our best -- whatever that means.  

That is all God ever asks!  At least that is what I believe!

God's Offer of "Grace Upon Grace"

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth……¹⁶From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.(John 1)

Yesterday I talked about the generous character of God. 

Today I am thinking of the verse: From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.(John 1)

The Greek word for grace is: charis:  “Proof of favor; benefit, gift.” (page 1298-1307)

So if we receive grace upon grace from God’ we are “proof of (his) favor.” We benefit from God’s gracious character.
  

God’s gracious character means: “To be forgiving, to  cover, to wash away, expiation (to be restored), to be merciful, to be patient.”  That is the Greek meaning of gracious. (p. 362)

I invite you to consider the extraordinarily, amazing, all-encompassing care that God offers to even the most despicable of persons.   And that includes you and me.

The word is again generosity.  

                                  The offer of abundance.  

                                                      More than enough.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.(John 10:10)

God’s grace is the treasure that all of us — all of us — dream of.

Unless you are completely opposite, of every other human  being, you grave 
grace — mercy, forgiveness, unconditional, loving, acceptance.

That my friends is what God, in Jesus’ skin, came to give all people.

And the sad thing is, most people don’t believe it.

God's Generosity

I am mulling around the idea that Jesus brought into this world.  The concept of generosity — which is, as I understand it, is the character of God.

If we just take a look at the big picture of Jesus teachings. 

Actually the model he modeled for all to see.  It was one of extravagant generosity. 

I am thinking specifically of the parable of the landowner who paid the same wage to all of his workers; whether they worked one hour or all day.  And the workers, who worked all day, cried “unfair!”  

So he asks them:

                              “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?”  (Matt. 20)

Or Jesus' huge feedings with a small amount of food that fed thousands.  With leftovers to put in someone’s doggie bag.(Mk. 6 & Matt. 15)

Or how, when asked how many times we must forgive?  He basically answered innumerable time.(Matt. 18)   

Or When the Widow gave her last three coins.  "All she had" to the treasury? (Lk. 21)

Or in Mark 6 when Jesus tell his disciples:   “ To be great you must become a slave.”

Or at the wedding at Cana when he not only turn water in to wine; but gave an abundance of the finest wine providing for more than enough. (Jn.2)

Or how about when he says: “don’t store up treasures for yourself?” (Matt. 6:19f)

The other one, that causes us all to wonder, is the story of the Parodical Son?  (Lk. 15) 

Or when Jesus demonstrates what it all truly means to give; in the Garden of Gethsemane when he says yes to giving in life:

                                                        

“Not what I want but what you want.” (Matt. 26) 

What is it that the world has inadvertently missed in Jesus’ message?

God's Creative Creative Energy

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ²the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.(Gen. 1)

A week ago, or so, I was writing about the idea of the image of the Spirit/God living in, and through,  Jesus’ body.   The image was actually like an arrow moving from God through Jesus and through Jesus into each of us.

And I was thinking about all of Jesus' “in-dwelling” statements in the Gospel of John; especially John 15.

Well, this morning I was trying to figure out a new and better way to talk about the Trinity — God Jesus Spirit.  That energy we are all blessed with; but can’t seem to actually grasp its magnificent preciousness.  

So God tapped me on the brain, again, and reminded me of how excited I was when I learned the Hebrew word ‘dabar’: pronounced dab-har by some.

To tweak your memory, think of Genesis 1 where God spoke and it was.

³Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. (Gen.1)

Dabar, I was once told or read, means: “God’s creative energy.”

So I did my favorite thing and hit the books to refresh my memory.

”It (dabar) makes things known…It is filled with a power which is felt by those who receive it but which is present independently of such reception….The most important quality of word is truth…..Reception of the word is a spiritual process” (p. 508)

“The word stands in heaven (with god) is truth , is light, gives life, grants understanding, carries power, evokes trust and obedience and is the object of hope” (p. 509)

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10)

Here is the deal!  God’s creative energy flows through.  

God’s creative energy moved through Jesus — actually lived in Jesus’ skin. 

And when Jesus was preparing his disciples for his time to return to the realm of the divine; he told them of this energy that would flow through them to guide them into all truth.

You can read all of this in the Gospel of John beginning with these powerfully telling words:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1)

Again, and again, throughout John we are told of this extraordinary gift from God.

This idea, concept, theological truth is, to me, the very substance of Jesus’ teaching.

First I invite you to take in the entire picture of Jesus’ being — gentleness, humility and telling the truth.

Think about it.  Jesus moved against all — or most all — of the cultural and religious traditions and practices of his time. 

He spoke a different language, so-to-speak.  Much of what he said, and did, did not fit the norm. 

He encouraged kindness not cruelty or bullying.

His major topic of instruction was against the habit of greed.  That, by the way, was his number one stance with the “authorities” of his day.

And you ask: “What about love?  Wasn’t that his major mantra?”  

Yes.  However the biggest opponent of love is the need to be wealthy and powerful.

Greed and love are like oil and water.  They having a difficult time living together in harmony. 

Being Acceptable continues

After yesterday's discussion, on God's gracious acceptance of our human imperfection, I thought I would share something I wrote in 2017 when I began this blogging adventure.

Here is the condemning question that always seems to hold some kind of mythical power for the asker:  “Are you saved?”  Or, “If you die tonight will you go to heaven?”  

In my interpretation of such questions are that they are meant to scare us.  Make us think that what we believe is not quite good enough.  Or that if we don’t interpret the Bible, just like the questioner does, we’ll end up in hell.

So lets talk about this great concern about being “saved”, or not being “saved.”  

The only authority, in this regard, is Jesus.  

And what Jesus says, more than once is: “those who believe will be saved”.  

He tells his disciples that all they — we — need is the faith as tiny as a mustard seed(Matt. 20). 

You can also check out John 3:15, or 11:26, or 17:3.

The only stipulation, the only one, Jesus put on the promise of eternal life — being saved — is faith/belief.

So your answer to the famous condemning question is: “yes!”  

“Yes I will be with God in heaven whenever I die.”

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.(John 11:20-26)

Now what do you want to talk about?

What Makes Us Acceptable to God?

I woke up this morning with a question I haven’t thought of for along time:

"What make us acceptable to God?"

After some random thinking I had a vision. 

No, no not really a vision like we read about in the Bible. 

Or, or maybe, just maybe, it was like that.

Anyway I was thinking of an image of the Spirit/God living in, and through,  Jesus’ body. 

The image was actually like an arrow moving from God through Jesus and through Jesus into each of us.

Very cool!

It felt good; I think because is visually made sense.

I was thinking about all of Jesus' “in-dwelling” statements in the Gospel of John; especially John 15. 

Let me see if I can remember how it went.  It was something like God moving through our cells, blood vessels and veins, enabling us to be what we are meant to be. 

I remembered what Jesus told his disciples about leaving them with an “advocate — the Holy Spirit — to guide them into all truth.”  (John 14:25)   

Some were in all of this I met a road block.  It was the part about what we do with God’s gracious offer of his presence.

My mind began to wonder:  

                                   “But what if?”

It had to do with our response to the presence of God inside of us.

I thought of all those who don’t believe because they have never had the opportunity to know about God, Holy Sprit, Jesus.  

Or those who have, for some reason or another, rejected the whole idea.

 of God.

My mind got stumped --  became very silent.

  

Then God tapped me on the brain, and I remembered  that God can be ignored or said no to; but That doesn’t mean that God ignores, or says no to, us.   Or that God leave us alone to fen for ourselves. 

My head is off my pillow now.  And I am thinking about the answer to my road block.  

We may not know, or believe, or have faith in God.

However, that also doesn’t mean that God is not — is not real.

Just because you think God isn’t real, it doesn’t make what you think true.

Here is the image I had this morning:

God Spirit _ through Jesus__Spirit __ through Us _ our yes or no.

You see, much like the God of the Old Testament, God will no longer force us to worship or believe in Him.


We are free to say not to God all we want.

But no matter how we think or feel; God will not abandon us.

And you are probably thinking: “Yeah but you don’t know all the terrible things I have done.”

My response is:  God knows.  

And what you don’t know is that God forgives.

Example:  The robber who hung next to Jesus on the Cross.  This man had lived a life of awful.  And with his last breath was forgiven.

Do you actually think God would not do the same for you? 

If you have ever for a moment — even the tiniest of moments — had the feeling, or thought, that God was real.   You are on the correct path.

All you need is that small bit of information.  That little seed of truth.  God does the rest.

We can give up on ourselves.  But God does not ever give up on us.

A Word Of Hope

Continuing the thoughts from yesterday.  I had another one — thought that is.

I am thinking of our world of politics.  

I am thinking of all the people who fret about the situations our President has created in our nation.  

And yes, I am thinking the loud silent voices of those too cautious, about their own reputations and agendas, to speak out.

I do know that some of my readers may be champions of Donald Trump.  And that is certainly your choice.  

It is not a choice I understand.
  

However, that being said, our national pride lives with our right to our  differences of opinion.  And I am the first one to believe that such differences can make for a whole and healthy environment.

Regardless of what I think.  

                                        Dammit!

This thought , I offered yesterday from Cynthia Bourgeault,  fills my heart with great hope in the midst of all things different:

“Could it be that this earthly realm, not in spite of but  because of its very density and jagged edges, offers precisely the conditions for the expression of certain aspects of divine love that could become real in no other way?

This idea gives me hope because I have great faith in a very present and active God in the realm of all things earthly.  

And I choose to think -- believe, have faith -- that what our nation is experiencing, in the last few weeks, is God’s ability to smooth out and adjust some of the jagged edges; that have so clearly disrupted the core values of our historical government of "democracy."

It is my faith that God has invaded the hearts and minds, of some of our elected leaders, with a hidden wisdom that is emerging with a bold willingness to speak  — act —  against the bullying habits  of the President.

God's love and wisdom is finally getting through the unfortunate self-protection of those who call themselves leaders ‘for the people.’

And so, like Peter who spoke on the day of Pentecost, God's Spirit is on the move in those leaders who have chosen to stand up and speak.

Thanks Be To God.

The Why Of Life

Through out my life, especially during my years of active ministry, I have come face to face with my own and others pain.  

I  have seen people struggle with their weakness.  

I have listened to their anger, gratefulness and their wonders about the ‘why’ of life.

I have personally experience, and walk with others who have experienced, the multitude of frustrations and complicated road blocks of life.

Through it all there remains the one unanswerable question:  Why?

Why me, what did I do?

       Why did this happen?

      Why do I have to go through this?

     Why doesn’t God do something about it?

One evening I visited a woman, in the hospital, who had just been informed the her abdomen was full of cancer.  As I drove to the hospital I prayed for God to give me words.  

When I entered her room all I could say was “Oh Marge I am so, so sorry.” She looked straight at me and said in a wise and calm voice:  “Why not me?”

“Why not me?”  

My memories of the rest of the conversation has left my mind.  What I remember is her amazing faith and calm resolve.

The truth of life is that there are hard time and unfair things that occur.  

I often compare our human condition with the cycles of nature -- the beauty of Fall, the dead cold of winter, the rain and new life of Spring and the warmth of summer. I think of weather that creates peacefulness in our soul; as well as destruction and pain.

No matter how much we want life to be smooth and easy; it is not.

And, and, it is no ones fault.

That is just the truth.

With all of that said.  This morning I read an extraordinary explanation of this quandary of human truth.  

I quote from Cynthia Bourgeault’s book Wisdom Jesus pages 

“Yes, this is a very heavy, frustrating, difficult, density that we come into by taking birth in the human realm. Because of the binary, finite nature of both the physical world itself, and the egoic operating system we use to navigate it, it seems as though we’re always bumping into sharp edges..” p. 98

“Could it be that this earthly realm, not in spite of but  because of its very density and jagged edges, offers precisely the conditions for the expression of certain aspects of divine love that could become real in no other way?  This world does indeed show forth what love is like in a particularly intense and costly way.  But when we look at this process more deeply, we see that those sharp edges we experience as constriction at the same time call forth some of the most exquisite dimensions of love, which require the conditions of finitude in order to make sense — qualities such as steadfastness, tenderness, commitment, forbearance, fidelity, and forgiveness.  These mature and subtle flavors of love have no real context in the realm where there are no edges and boundaries, where all just flows.  But when you run up against the hard edges and have to stand true to love anyway, what emerges is a most precious taste of pure love divine.  God has spoken his most intimate name.” (p 99-100)

Profoundly thought provoking.