God Made Us 2

Genesis 1:27-31

Asheville, North Carolina is the home of the Biltmore Estate. It is a fantastic, sprawling mansion on miles and miles of beautiful grounds. It was the home of the Vanderbilt family, a family that garnered vast riches in business interests.

Now this beautiful and historic home is a museum. You can visit it if you like, but the cost to tour the home is very high. The incredible beauty of this mansion is only available to those who have the financial means to buy a ticket.

But if you want to see something majestic and beautiful, something breath-taking and marvelous, you don’t have to have a lot of money. All the world around us is a beautiful creation that can take our breath away with its magnificence. The splendor of a sunrise, the intricate loveliness of a tree, the lush wonders of a green field are all available to us to enjoy and rejoice in.

In the beginning of all things God created all things. He made the heavens, the stars, the sun and the moon. He created the earth and all that is in it. And then he created humanity.

In whose image are we made? What did God do for humanity? What did God declare about His creation?

Whenever we begin to despair or worry we need to recall the words used in describing the creation of humanity. God made humans in His image. That is, we are like God in many ways. We are able to laugh and love, to care and grieve, to create and to delight in what is created.

God not only gave us all these abilities, but He blessed humanity. He surrounded us with His love that our lives might be good and satisfying. He has given us a place over all things, not that we can abuse and control the world, but that we might know we are incredibly valuable to God.

It is God’s desire that we delight in all that was made. It is God’s desire that we know we are loved and valued but our Creator. And all of it is good.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can remind you of how much God loves you?