Understanding Imago Dei Theologically

 Theology is often given a bad rap or we gloss over it thinking it is just for the seminary students and graduates  or super spiritual among us. However, I truly believe that understanding it helps us love our Jesus even more deeply and follow Him so much more closely. Only when we understand the concept on a theological level can we begin to apply it on a practical level. With that said, let me encourage you to wade into this post. At the end, please tell me what you think....


In the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, Creation is described in a step-by-step process. Each step, each day is declared "good" by the One speaking all that is seen into being. The last step, however, is more than "good." God declares the events of that day "very good." 

"So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them."

-Genesis 1:27 

"Imago Dei" - We image God.

How? 

Not through physical features or even appearances, but in HOW He created us.

God used His Word (John 1) to create everything else. He announced it and it existed. Man, He sculpted with His hands. Man, He breathed His own life into. Woman, He formed from the rib of that man because that man was lacking. Adam needed Eve. 

Then, together, God gave them authority, an assignment and a unique ability. 

• Authority over Creation - to subdue it and wisely use it
• An Assignment - to work, a purpose to fulfill and find satisfaction in
• A Unique Ability- to relate to Him and each other

 Matt Chandler in "A Beautiful Design" defined Imago Dei this way: "God's investment in humanity of Godlike glory and moral capacity to reign and rule the earth as His representatives."

Nothing else God created has these qualities. This is why there will never a Planet of the Apes. This is why a fireman rescues all the people in the burning home before he looks for the beloved family dog. Everyone innately knows life has value whether or not they are able to explain why. 

"Sanctity of Life" - Life is sacred because we image God. 

According to the internet's "Wiktionary," to be sacred is to be associated with divinity, inspiring awe or reverence, and to be worthy of spiritual respect or devotion. 

I can't think of anything more sacred than imaging God, being "Imago Dei."

In the third chapter of Genesis, sin enters the world and soon man fails to acknowledge who he is. The significance of being Imago Dei is lost. Man's relationship with the God he images is broken and he soon forgets his identity as God's image. Adam's relationship with Eve is also broken and Man doesn't look at his wife and see "the image of God" either. Sin's poison seeps into every corner of creation and from every human heart.

With the dawn of sin, the curse is given and mankind cannot rightly fulfill his role of Imago Dei. The evidence that we live in a fallen, broken world is everywhere, especially in how we relate to Him and each other. 

When we know where we've come from AND where our sin has taken us, we can begin to process how we should respond to the truth of being Imago Dei - individually as Christians and corporately as members of the human race.

I'll use my next post to explain how God has been speaking to me about how to embrace Imago Dei.

"Imago Dei"

• Saturday before last, thousands of women marched on Washington DC, downtown Nashville and in countless other global cities with cries of protest for equality and justice.
• The next day, Southern Baptist Churches across our convention recognized the Sanctity of Life in an annual, planned emphasis. 
• Last Wednesday, my youngest daughter and I stopped by the rehab center and I fed my mother-in-law Panera's French Onion Soup because she could not feed herself.
• This past Saturday, the 44th annual Right to Life March was held in our nation's capital with the key note speaker being our newly elected vice president. 
• Tonight, I turned off the evening news and logged out of my Facebook account due to the constant coverage of the reactions to our president's ban on immigration. 
• Tomorrow, I will go to my first meeting to sit on the board of our local crisis pregnancy center. 

Notice, that in each of the above statements, I did not offer an opinion, a scripture or a judgment. I just gave a factual statement.

What do all of these seemingly unrelated events have in common?

Each event has everything to do with the "Imago Dei." 

What is the "Imago Dei?" you ask . . . . Translated from Latin, it means the Image of God.

• It is why we should care what the women were protesting. 
• It is seeking to understand the racial double standards that do still exist.
• It is caring for the elderly and the weak and the defenseless. 
• Its is about being Pro-Life and pro-child and pro-mother and pro-family. 
• It is being vulnerable to open our borders and our hearts to the least of these knowing that as Christians, America is not our home either.
• It is doing something in addition to our prayers, putting feet to our faith and actively becoming involved. 

According to Genesis, everyone of us IS "Imago Dei." It isn't just something a few righteous, pious people have. It is who God has made us to be, by His divine design. 

I can't be silent. I feel as if God has been shouting those two Latin words at me for at least 10 days now and I can't NOT say something. 

"Imago Dei" is a theology term that can and should be applied to our lives in very practical ways. So for my blogging turn this week,  I am going to seek to flesh out some of these applications a little. I hope you'll stay tuned and check back in later in the week . . .  

When I Realized I Could Not See

My husband has really, really, REALLY poor vision.  He must wear contacts or glasses in order to ‘see’….and he does!  He has worn glasses or contacts ever since he was in 5^th grade.  Without them, his eyesight is terrible.  His glasses literally fit the ‘thick as a coke bottle’ category.  We are super grateful for glasses because, without them, he would not be able to see at all.

I also wear contacts and/or glasses.  My poor eyesight, unlike my husbands, didn’t start until I was in my 40’s….up to that point I could see whatever I wanted to see without the help of any lenses.

Can you imagine walking around with poor vision without contacts or glasses?  I’m pretty sure many of you know exactly what that would be like because you, too, need contacts or glasses.  Nothing would be in focus.  What you think is one thing is really something else.  Watching television or reading a book or driving a car would be impossible.

However….once the glasses or contacts go in…things are much clearer!!  Colors are vivid and words legible and lines on the roads are easy to stay between.  We are super glad we can see with the help of contacts and/or glasses!!

Or do we?

Last week my husband had eye surgery on his left eye and tomorrow he will have the same procedure done on his right eye.  It’s what old people do….they have cataract surgery.  My dad did.  Lots of senior adults throughout our ministry have.  Like I said, it’s what old people do.  What I didn’t know is that the doctor can put a lens in your eye so that you can see perfectly!!  See perfectly without glasses and/or contacts!!!  What in the world???  Why is it that just old people can get this thing done??? 

Today….he can see out of his left eye….perfectly!  Perfectly!  20/20 vision!!  Better than he ever saw with his glasses or contacts!  He commented that the red in my red and black flannel shirt that I wear extensively during the winter months was SO.RED!!!  Something he had seen many times didn’t look like he thought it did.

Here’s what God is teaching me.  I think I ‘see’ fine.  I think I see what is happening around me.  I think I see what is going on in the heart of my husband.  I think I see what is going on in my children’s lives.  I think I see what God is doing in my heart.  I think I see God.  I think I see what He is doing in His word.  I think I see exactly what needs to be done in this situation.  I think I see exactly what ‘they’ need to do.  I could go on and on.

But the truth is…..I don’t see at all.  I have the vision of a sinner.  Blinded by my selfishness.  Blinded by my sin.  Blinded by my perspectives and paradigms.  Blinded by my desires and wants.  Blinded by the enemy.  Blind.  Blind from birth just like the blind man in Matthew 20:29-34. 

The difference between me and the blind man is that he knew he was blind and could not see….and I have deluded myself to think I can see but I am truly blind.

I’m grateful for this revelation because it is only when I know I am blind that I will cry out “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

It is only when I cry out to the Lord that He says to me, “What do you want me to do for you?”

It is then that I cry out, “I want to see!!”

I want to see You.

I want to see You at work.

I want to see Your glory in the midst of pain and trials and suffering.

I want to see Your Hand protecting.

I want to see Truth.

I want to see me the way You see me.

I want to see the situation the way You see it.

I want to see Your power.

I want to see people the way You see people.

I want to see just what You want me to see and nothing else.

Forgive me for thinking I could see….when I really was blind.

What about you?  What is it you think you ‘see’ when, just perhaps, you don’t ‘see’ at all?  What do you want to see?  He continues to ask the same question He asked the blind man, "What do you want me to do?"

Ta Da!

Here we go again. Big sigh!  It is that time again where as women we make the pledge to get fit or change something about ourselves in the new year.  In my situation, I usually start out with a bang banding chocolate from our house.  However, by the end of week one, my family is begging me to have at least one handful of M & M's and adjust my attitude.

 Yes, we are called to care for our "temples" (bodies). However did you know that we are a work of art?  Pure perfection crafted by the Master Artist?  Each part of our being-every cell, atom, organ-was selected just for us.

Unhappy with your body shape?  Too short?  Too tall?  Big feet? Wide hips?  Flat chested or full chested?  Yes, your body is just how the Master Artist imagined you. 

Dislike your hair?  Too curly?  Too flat? Too straight? I desired curly hair until everyone started ironing their hair and I did not have to.  Yes girlfriends, in the 70's we ironed our hair for perfect straight hair.  Limp and thin?  Dull color?  Bright red hair? Premature grey?  Just think about it.  The Master Artist gently caressed and counted every strand of your hair to create the perfect headdress for you.

Envy your girlfriends blue eyes over your brown ones? I always wanted blue eyes until my eye doctor explained that blondes with brown eyes are rare.  I can say I am unique! Hate your drab green eyes?  Silly girl, God hand selected those gorgeous eyes just to fit that perfect face! 

Freckles, pale skin, dark skin, your accent, your talent, your unique God given gifts, you name it.  Everything about you has been specially selected by the Master Artist.  His loving hands molded us in our mother's wombs.  We are his workmanship.   Wow!  We are his Masterpieces!  There is absolutely no one else like you!

Just think about it.  When the Master Artist, our Heavenly Father, finished creating each of us, he stepped back and shouted, "Ta Da!"

Purging

In our home during the New Year weekend, we began an all in clean out.  Clutter was in the garage, the attic, and in our closets.  My pastor husband toted items to the trash bins and to Goodwill.  It felt good to purge out our clutter and start with a clean garage, attic and closets.

I wonder as ministers’ wives if we should do some purging in our lives.  Think about it:

*Does bitterness hide in the corners of your heart?

*Has a hurt taken root and become a tree that helps your distance yourself from the person who caused your pain?

*Has Satan’s lies regarding your personal appearance or performance caused you to be inward focused?

* Have you forgotten your first love-Jesus?

If we are all honest, we have one of these issues or a similar problem cluttering our lives and spoiling our relationship with Jesus. 

I know in my own personal experience that clutter around our house causes tension and chaos.  We can never find an item and that brings on frustration.  However, when we clear out the clutter, life is much easier and peaceful. 

The same holds true with our spiritual lives. When our spiritual lives are lacking, we need to take time to examine what is going on.  If our lives are loaded down with life’s lies and messes, we cannot have freedom in Christ.  We cannot truly focus on our Heavenly Father.

I challenge each of us to examine our hearts in this new year and see what is cluttering our relationship with Christ.  Once we discover it, PURGE it!

Turn Over Your Burdens in 2017!

Happy New Year, my sisters!

We made it through another year. I don’t know about you, but every time the calendar turns to mark a new year, I get excited about new beginnings. The changing of a year is also a great time to reflect on what took place the year before; I rolodex in my mind the things that played out in my life, month by month. I can’t remember every single little detail of course, but something significant always comes to mind that helps me to recall what was special about that month.

Also, as the old year goes away, unfortunately, old baggage from the previous year sometimes tries to follow. The burdens from 2016 somehow leap their way into 2017, and just because it is a new year, doesn’t mean the old trials, the headaches, the drama, and the conflicts will disappear. I’m not being a pessimist, only a realist, because in this life we are going to have trouble, yet we are not without hope!

We have to remember the precious words of Jesus when those burdens and the cares and anxieties of life continue to bear down on us. His Word says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” 1 Peter 5:7 New Living Translation (NLT) Wow! So simple and profound, yet difficult to practice at times because we want to handle things ourselves.

Whatever burdens you are still carrying, turn them over to the awesome “Burden-Bearer” who can handle anything! We sometimes forget that we belong to a BIG GOD; our problems are no match for Him. He can handle our puny problems (puny in His eyes, but huge in our eyes).

I found myself meditating on Matthew 11:28-30 just this week:

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” NLT

Wonderful, glorious, faithful promises from our Faithful Lord and Savior!!

May we welcome Christ’s invitation to come to Him; may we bask in the rest He desires to give; may we trade our burdens for His yoke and receive freedom from worry and anxiety.

COME…REST…. RECEIVE! As I said earlier, so simple but so profound.

My sisters, I don’t know what burdens followed you into the new year, but the Lord Jesus Christ can handle them ALL!!! I don’t make resolutions, but I can claim promises from His Word, and you can too! We will find rest when we believe what He has said in His Word!

Turn over your burdens... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

January 7, 2012

HAPPY 5th ANNIVERARY to our Son and Daughter-In-Law.

They have survived a lot in their short marriage..........

Initially living apart so she could complete her Bachelors decree.  They lived apart another time when his job moved him and she was waiting until her job would transfer her.

Four moves in five years.  Four job changes for him in five years.........still with the Corp of Engineer but went from Ranger to Lock Operator/Maintenance to Hydro Schooling to Operator Training to Electronics Specialist Training. 

She went from graduating to Retail Assistant Manager in one city and transferring to another store in another town to going back to school for the "Masters Program" to currently a 6th Grade Social Studies teacher.

I am happy to say.  They survived.....and are probably stronger for it.

They have bought their first home in Livingston, TN.  He is stationed at his permanent lake..........Dale Hollow as Electronics Specialist Trainee....and will be completed with the program in about a year and half and will receive his senior position.  She has her first teaching position and loves it. 

Life is good for them.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...........and may you have many, many more.