DAY THIRTEEN - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE CREATION

“Then God said, Let us make man in Our image..”

Genesis 1: 26

Reading: Genesis 1: 26-28; Romans 1; Malachi 2: 10

In the latter part of Day 6, we come to the epitome of God’s creation. 

“And then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.  And let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

At this point God becomes personal. And because God is a trinity, when He introduces Himself personally, it is in the plural language.  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were all involved in Creation. When God comes to the creation of the human race, He doesn’t employ the impersonal fiat terminology we’ve seen before, “Let there be,” but He uses language that reveals that He is speaking within Himself, “Let us…” 

Man was made in the image and likeness of God. This means that human beings have the essential qualities of personality, which are intellect or mind, sensibility or feeling, and will, that is, the ability to make moral choices. These qualities do not exist in any creature other than man, and they make it possible for him to have communion with God and also to be morally responsible for his actions.

The fact that we were made in the image of God is one of the most important belief systems to take on board. Humanity is an icon, a representative, of God. You have value..and you should treat others as valuable too.

Prayer

Father, even though mankind is fallen, each human being is still an icon of Yourself. Help me to treat myself, and others, with kindness and respect.

For the family

Explain

Explain briefly how God used a different spoken word when making mankind – let us make, instead of, let there be. Explain how He fashioned people after Himself. God is not like electricity or trees or fish..He is like people. And people are like Him.

Older children

You may want to discuss the issue of self-image with your teens. To not think too highly of yourself or too lowly – but with sober judgment. You were made in the image of God – this is what it means to think of yourself correctly.