The Image of God

Genesis 1:26-28

Message No. 0537 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

In Disney's Lion King, Simba, King Mufasa’s cob and new heir to the throne, was forced into exile when his uncle murdered the king (Simba’s father). On arrival in exile, he was rescued from death resulting from dehydration by a duo of friends: a warthog and a meerkat. This pair of animals were initially afraid (who wouldn’t be afraid of a lion) and ran away from him when they saw him lying down, weak and almost dead, but when they observed that he did not act as a lion would, they moved close to him, made him their friend and introduced him to their own paradise in the jungle. The problem was, as long as Simba was in this other world, away from other lions of his pair in his own habitat, he did not recognize himself as a lion, nor did he act as one. He was contented to bury his own image and take on the image of a weakling, until his childhood friend strayed to his hiding place and challenged him to come back home and recover his throne from his usurping uncle.

No one can function beyond his or her own recognition of the inherent or acquired abilities that lie within. A timid person cannot rise to glory without a push or an awakening. In order to become anything, you must first recognize and admit that you are something. A medical doctor spends years in school and in various medical facilities to study and learn the application of medicine and medical procedures to resolve health problems, but if all he or she does is to work as a receptionist in the hospital, then it can fairly be said that his or her years of learning were wasted.

When God created man in Genesis chapter 1, it was not done without design, shape, or plan. According to verses 26 – 28, the Bible says:

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God started by saying, let us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness, then He went on to summarize what the image is: dominion (power of supremacy, to control, rule and dominate), fruitfulness (power of production), multiplication (power to breed, increase, grow) and the power to subdue. These were the powers that God embedded in man when He created them (male and female). The same power that created the sun, the sea, day and night, created man: God spoke and acted.

As God’s children, we are to assume all of the powers that He commanded into us. We are not machines, but neither is the sun or the moon, the sea or other creatures of God. I am not aware of a day in the past when the sun failed to rise, or the sea failed to be a natural habitat to the creatures in the ocean. Every creature or creation of God functions as efficiently as God designed it to be. The question is, why should man, the one thing that God specifically created in His own image and likeness, perform any different.

In 2021, we need to read Genesis 1:26-28 over and over, to understand and remind ourselves of who we are. We need to know what we are made of and examine the difference between where we are and where we ought to be. We need to evaluate our position and put our performances on scales to determine our scores. One thing is certain: we can perform better, and perform better we will, in Jesus’ name.

Remember the story in the opening paragraph, until Simba’s childhood friend came to give him a push to come back home, he did not see the need to do so. He was wasting away but he did not see anything wrong. He actually resisted his friend’s call to come back home, until he received that inner awakening to remind him of who he was and who he could be. Suddenly, he returned home, fought for his throne and took it back from his murderer-usurper uncle. The devil is a liar, murderer and usurper. He deceived man and usurped our power and authority until Christ came to take back what belonged to us and to put us back into the position we were meant to be. Now it’s our turn to have that inner awakening ignited in us and to ascend to the position God put us into and to exhibit characteristics that are consistent with the image of God.

This year, let us read our Bibles like never before, praise God like never before, pray like never before and exhibit confidence (in God) like never before. All of these can only lead to dominion, power, fruitfulness, multiplication and control of our world. This is where God wants us to be and this is where we need to be. Happy New Year and I pray that none of us will exhibit anything short of God’s image in 2021.

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 Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!