In God's Image
Illustration
Stories
Let us make people in our own image. Jessie narrowed her eyes and read Genesis 1:26 one more time. Let us make people in our own image. She shook her head and tried a third time, but the words still didn’t make any sense. There was only one God so why did it say “in our image”? She typed the verse in a search engine and read some of the explanations she found.
It seemed like everyone had a different answer. Some claimed it was the royal “we” that showed God was king. Jessie certainly believed that God was Lord and King over everything. But she had a feeling that there was more to the verse than just that.
Another commentator suggested that it was a way of referencing the Trinity so that God the Father was speaking to God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Jessie believed that God was in three persons and understood the Trinity as best as anyone could. But she had a feeling that explanation didn’t explain everything in the verse.
A third website said that the plural was just God talking to the angels and others in heaven. Jessie believed in heaven, but she thought that was probably the least likely explanation since the angels weren’t God. She was just about to see if there was another possible answer when the alarm on her cell phone went off. She grabbed her flute and headed off to the church for band practice.
Jessie was a few minutes late, so she didn’t have a chance to chat but simply sat next to Luke who smiled as they began going over the latest piece. Jessie was thankful that she had practiced her part at home so she was confident when they started to play. The piece was difficult in places and while she didn’t do it perfectly the first time the truth was that none of them did. Sheila was patient with them though and had a great ear and so she suggested tempo changes, heard where people were a bit off key, and she helped them pull it together.
During the break Luke split his donut with her. “That new piece is a killer.”
“It’s coming together.” Jessie took the offered donut gratefully. “You know the Bible reading for next Sunday from Genesis about God making everything in six days?”
“Yeah, I always read the scriptures to Gran when I visit mid week so that she knows what’s going to be read on Sunday. She likes to think and pray about the passages before the pastor preaches.” He tilted his head. “What about it?”
“I’m reading on Sunday and was going over it and came to the section that says, ‘let us make people in our image.’ What do you think that means?”
“I’ve never really thought about it.” Luke rubbed at his chin. “Did you check the web?”
Jessie nodded. “I did but nothing really seemed to answer it for me.”
“I guess it means that we are all made in the image of God.”
Jessie bit hit lip. “I get that everyone is made in the image of God. It just seems to me that there is something more to it that I’m missing.”
Luke shrugged and before Jessie could say anything else band practice started again. Sheila had them go over the difficult parts until the transitions and key changes came easily to them. Then she asked them to turn back to the first page and go through the whole song.
Jessie was anxious as the first notes were played but then as the song continued, she couldn’t help but be swept away in the music. All the different instruments combined to play something that was wonderful, mysterious, and moving all at the same time. She could almost hear the angels singing along with the melody and felt close to God as she played her part. When they finished there was silence for a few moments and Jessie knew she wasn’t the only one who had felt the Holy Spirit moving among them. Sheila thanked them and band practice finished.
“I was thinking about that verse from Genesis.” Luke paused at the door. “Did you ever think that it might mean that we’re made in the image of God?”
Jessie frowned. “I thought I said earlier that I already believed that each of us are made in the image of God.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Luke gestured at the musicians leaving. “The song we just played was wonderful and inspiring. It was beautiful on so many levels.”
“I agree.”
“I wonder if we, all of us together as a group, are made in the image of God. Yes, each of us are as individuals but when you put us together then we are something even greater, more like what God intends and what God created.” Luke shrugged his shoulders. “Something to think about.”
Jessie nodded and as she headed home, she still thought about the experience, his words, and the verse she had been struggling over. She wasn’t entirely sure if Luke’s explanation answered all her questions, but she knew for certainty that his words helped her better understand something important about God and faith.
*****************************************
StoryShare, June 7, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
It seemed like everyone had a different answer. Some claimed it was the royal “we” that showed God was king. Jessie certainly believed that God was Lord and King over everything. But she had a feeling that there was more to the verse than just that.
Another commentator suggested that it was a way of referencing the Trinity so that God the Father was speaking to God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Jessie believed that God was in three persons and understood the Trinity as best as anyone could. But she had a feeling that explanation didn’t explain everything in the verse.
A third website said that the plural was just God talking to the angels and others in heaven. Jessie believed in heaven, but she thought that was probably the least likely explanation since the angels weren’t God. She was just about to see if there was another possible answer when the alarm on her cell phone went off. She grabbed her flute and headed off to the church for band practice.
Jessie was a few minutes late, so she didn’t have a chance to chat but simply sat next to Luke who smiled as they began going over the latest piece. Jessie was thankful that she had practiced her part at home so she was confident when they started to play. The piece was difficult in places and while she didn’t do it perfectly the first time the truth was that none of them did. Sheila was patient with them though and had a great ear and so she suggested tempo changes, heard where people were a bit off key, and she helped them pull it together.
During the break Luke split his donut with her. “That new piece is a killer.”
“It’s coming together.” Jessie took the offered donut gratefully. “You know the Bible reading for next Sunday from Genesis about God making everything in six days?”
“Yeah, I always read the scriptures to Gran when I visit mid week so that she knows what’s going to be read on Sunday. She likes to think and pray about the passages before the pastor preaches.” He tilted his head. “What about it?”
“I’m reading on Sunday and was going over it and came to the section that says, ‘let us make people in our image.’ What do you think that means?”
“I’ve never really thought about it.” Luke rubbed at his chin. “Did you check the web?”
Jessie nodded. “I did but nothing really seemed to answer it for me.”
“I guess it means that we are all made in the image of God.”
Jessie bit hit lip. “I get that everyone is made in the image of God. It just seems to me that there is something more to it that I’m missing.”
Luke shrugged and before Jessie could say anything else band practice started again. Sheila had them go over the difficult parts until the transitions and key changes came easily to them. Then she asked them to turn back to the first page and go through the whole song.
Jessie was anxious as the first notes were played but then as the song continued, she couldn’t help but be swept away in the music. All the different instruments combined to play something that was wonderful, mysterious, and moving all at the same time. She could almost hear the angels singing along with the melody and felt close to God as she played her part. When they finished there was silence for a few moments and Jessie knew she wasn’t the only one who had felt the Holy Spirit moving among them. Sheila thanked them and band practice finished.
“I was thinking about that verse from Genesis.” Luke paused at the door. “Did you ever think that it might mean that we’re made in the image of God?”
Jessie frowned. “I thought I said earlier that I already believed that each of us are made in the image of God.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Luke gestured at the musicians leaving. “The song we just played was wonderful and inspiring. It was beautiful on so many levels.”
“I agree.”
“I wonder if we, all of us together as a group, are made in the image of God. Yes, each of us are as individuals but when you put us together then we are something even greater, more like what God intends and what God created.” Luke shrugged his shoulders. “Something to think about.”
Jessie nodded and as she headed home, she still thought about the experience, his words, and the verse she had been struggling over. She wasn’t entirely sure if Luke’s explanation answered all her questions, but she knew for certainty that his words helped her better understand something important about God and faith.
*****************************************
StoryShare, June 7, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
