Our Heavenly Father teaches
us of the sacred trust of life, too. From the opening page of the
revelation of Holy Scripture, we learn that He made us, not just to gather a
few crumbs to eat, not just to propagate our DNA in an instinctive drive for
survival, but rather to live for Him, which is a noble purpose! "Then God said, “Let us make man in our
image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
(Genesis 1:26-27, NIV) What is He
saying?
Some take that paragraph and turn it into a reason to
exploit the earth and all living things. “After all,” they say, “God put us at
the top of the pile, didn’t He?” It is true that humanity is distinct from the
rest of Creation. In the story that the Spirit tells in Genesis, He "breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life, and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7, NIV) He made
us eternal, like He is! Our dusty bodies are decaying and eventually will
return to the elements, but that ‘breath of life’ that gives us ‘soul’ lives
on. However, that distinction of
being, and that offer to ‘rule,’ does not give us unrestricted rights to
selfishly use up our earth’s resources. Why? Because our life and place in His
Creation order is a sacred trust!
Rachel Held Evans is eloquent about this. “But to be “created in the image of God”
carries significant leadership implications as well. In the ancient Near
Eastern world, kings were considered divine image-bearers, appointed
representatives of God on earth. Kings would often place images of themselves,
usually statues, in distant parts of their kingdoms to remind their subjects of
their sovereignty over the land. So for man and woman to be God’s
image-bearers in this context, means that God has entrusted both men and women
with ruling the world on God’s behalf. “Let us make humankind in
our image,” God says, “according to our likeness; and let them have
dominion over the fish,...birds, cattle,...all the wild
animals...every creeping thing.”
We ‘rule’ in the sense that we bring His kingdom of Light
and Love to the places where we work, play, serve, and worship. We push back
the darkness of hatred. We work to build relationships. Our lives reveal Eternity
to those who live just to serve their appetites. Yes, we are ‘more than conquerors’
through Christ, bearers of the image of our Creator.
Think about that deeply this morning. You might be tempted to say, “Oh, Pastor
Jerry, that’s just philosophy that does not really concern me.” Ah, but it does. All of Scripture is given for our instruction,
to make us wise, to point us to the best life. These words in the opening book
of the Bible are more than a simple story and certainly beyond mere myth. They
are there to shape our understanding and identity, so that we will live for His
glory and enjoy the richest kind of life possible.
Live this day, make each choice, as the image-bearer of your
Heavenly Father. Reflect His Presence into the world in which you live. Live in
the sacred trust.
Here is a word from the Word. "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in
my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for
it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless
and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,
in which you shine like stars in the
universe as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:12-16,
NIV)
________
Over all the earth You reign on high
Every mountain stream every sunset sky
But my one request Lord my only aim
Is that You'd reign in me again
Lord reign in me reign in Your pow'r
Over all my dreams in my darkest hour
You are the Lord of all I am
So won't You reign in me again
Over every thought over every word
May my life reflect the beauty of my Lord
'Cause You mean more to me
Than any earthly thing
So won't You reign in me again
Brenton Brown
© 1998 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire) (Vineyard Music UK)
CCLI License # 810055
Even in my 6th decade of life, a full 10 years
after my father’s voice was stilled by death, I feel the weight of his words
that laid a sense of family, legacy, and responsibility on me from my earliest
years. He instilled the truth in me that life is a sacred trust. He taught me
that I am connected to ancestors past and generations future therefore, every
choice, each act, should be considered the light of how it uses the investment
of those who went before and how it prepares for those coming after for life.
No comments:
Post a Comment