We have been made in the image of God.

In between classes today, I sat down at the gazebo by Buffalo Creek. I love the sound of the water spilling over the ledge. The weather is perfect. I paused to look out at the water as I crossed over the rickety bridge, and I'm glad I did. I looked down and saw the tail end of a snake slithering into the brush on my left. I carried on, walking in sandaled feet through the dew covered grass and into the gazebo. The sun beat down on my legs. I took my New Testament out of my bookbag and turned to Colossians 3, which I began to read..."Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above..." I looked up. An elder man in a brown suit walked by, nodded, and went on his way across the bridge from whence I came. I was curious as to where he came from and where he was headed. I wondered for a moment and then let the mystery be. I continued reading "...you have taken off your old self with it's practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." I looked up again to see a mallard swimming in the water. I moved, and he took off into flight.

Let there be light.
Let there be an expanse between the waters.
Let the water under the sky be gathered and let dry ground appear.
Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky.
Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth.
Let land produce living creatures according to their kinds...creatures that move along the ground...
Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them.

I believe the image of God in us to be so much more than physical. What it really means is our souls, our spirits, our very being reflects God in His own Creation. We are only a reflection. We were created with the ability to fall. And we did. And God has been pursuing us ever since, trying to bring us back to the place we once were. Love is perfection, and when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. He came. He was made in our likeness. We are being renewed and made into the image of our Creator once again.

My turning and wavering,
my self-made desires;
I steep myself in my fallible cares.
His image I cannot release
from my heart.
Impressed, despite my ruin
of His dreams.
The origin of my soul, the
perfection, the union of Us,
He hopes for still.
He waits.
He dreams a new dream.
He draws near to me
In places dark, places bright,
The dawn of the day and coming twilight.
His stamp is the seal and I cannot deny
that in Him my dreams become...
And now I return, I renew,
I am once again born of perfection,
made whole.
In His image and wonder,
in beauty and soul.~VLB