God’s Likeness and How to Solve the Problem

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The Bible says you and I were made in God's likeness. So, we like to return the favor and create a god in ours. Here's how to solve the problem...

You know the verses. Light, sky, land, sun, moon, stars, sea, animals—then the sixth day of creation…

So God created human beings in His image. Genesis 1:27

Imageo Dei – being made in God’s likeness means we are creative, spiritual, and relational. We can think and communicate, and we’re able to love.

But…

Maybe it’s because a likeness is just a shadow or reflection, or maybe it’s because we learn about God from imperfect people who teach us imperfect ideas about a perfect God.  Maybe we’re simply trying to do the impossible this side of heaven, but our view of God is too easily distorted.

We choose the teachings we like and reject those we don’t.

The result—we end up with what we want, a god with whom we are comfortable.

But that is not God!

God is so much greater than comfortable!

He is greater than our comprehension and understanding. He is able to take our breath away.

Yet He invites us to know Him.

God Himself, the Great I Am loves you and me so much that He wants us to know Him.

 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Revelation 3:20

Whether you believe the Bible is inerrant or not – it is where individuals who were inspired by and in relationship with God wrote down what they repeatedly called the “Word of God.”

The more I read the Bible the easier it is for me to accept that God is waaaay beyond my understanding. And I’m okay with that. I believe if God wants me to know something He won’t keep it a secret; if not, I still choose to trust and obey.

Paul said, Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

I don’t need to know Him completely because He knows me completely. He knows what I need and acts on the knowledge with perfect love.

So, I’ll admit I don’t know, I don’t understand. But I pray to never make Him less or “comfortable”  . . . because of my limited understanding.

“A God whom we could understand exhaustively, and whose revelation of Himself confronted us with no mysteries whatsoever, would be a God in man’s image, and therefore an imaginary God, not the God of the Bible at all.”  J.I.Packer

“How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each Truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.”

Prayer and praise that ask, seek, and knock.

Jesus said, Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Asking to know Him better.
Seeking truth through Bible reading and study.
Knocking through prayer and stillness.

[Tweet “May we: Be still and know God—not god in our image, but the I AM who made us in His. “]

Father, thank you. You are great. Much greater than our comprehension or understanding. Forgive us for making you comfortable. You are God alone. Eternal. Creator. Savior. Help us to trust You. Help us to seek the truth of who You are. Teach us. Bless us with Your wisdom and understanding. Grow our love for You. Strengthen us to love each other. Help us Father, for Jesus sake. Amen.

 Photo Credit – BossFight.com

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2 Comments

  1. There’s always that temptation to put God in a box where we feel “comfortable.” Thanks, Deb, for reminding us we are made in His image, not the other way around!
    Blessings!

  2. My prayer is to know Him more each day and fall deeper in love with Him so much His image is all people see.