Praise God For The Wonderful Life He Created
OPENING PRAYER:
Gracious Father, When I look at all you have created around me, I can’t help but praise you! You are the giver and sustainer of life. When I become distracted by news of wars, violence, and death, I feel sadness and pain. At such times, it’s sometimes hard for me to remember the goodness and beauty of your creation. Right now, help to concentrate on you alone. And teach me to love and care for life the way that You do.
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Bible revelation makes a very clear assertion regarding the origins of man. In very simple, poetic fashion, God tells us that He created mankind and He made us in His image. In the Genesis narrative, that sets mankind apart from the rest of creation. People are made in the image of God. The most recent Gallop Poll (2019) reveals that only 40% of Americans believe that God created humans. But even more revealing is the fact that 55% of Americans believe mankind has progressed through some evolutionary process (33% with some form of God’s guidance; and 22% by evolution alone). It shouldn’t be a surprise to Christ followers, to be in the minority believing that we are created by God!
Perhaps this contributes to the present issue of abortion that confronts us. If our worldview holds that God is the source of human life and we are created in His image, then we would be more inclined to protect that life. On the other hand, if the majority view is that life evolved in some manner, then ending that life is somewhat less significant. The key is keeping God in the equation. That’s what the Apostle Paul expresses in his letter to the Colossians, “Christ made everything in the heavens and on the earth. He made everything that is seen and things that are not seen. He made all the powers of heaven. Everything was made by Him and for Him” Colossians 1:6 (TLV). All things were made by and through Christ! That adds eternal value to my life and the lives of every person on this earth.
APPLY:
Take some time to thank God for making you so wonderfully in His image. Let that reality settle into your conscious thought through meditation. Now consider how you can encourage just one person in your life with this simple, biblical concept of being made in the image of Christ and for Him!
CLOSING PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for everything. I pray that I listen to your spirit and Word today. Help me to honor you in everything I do.
WORSHIP: