06/30/2021
We live in a country, and a world, that is divided against itself; not by God, or by Jesus Christ, but by man. Somehow we have become convinced that we are meant to separate ourselves into camps, so we do this by race, color, culture, religion, short, tall, large, small, and in too many other ways to list. There never seems to be an end to it, and the final result is always the same… the more we divide ourselves, the greater we find it has become an impediment to the commandment that we love one another as ourselves. We forget that Jesus is all in all, and that He joins us together.
“Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Colossians 3:11 ESV
Today, in my morning prayers, I prayed for each one of you, my family, friends, and even my enemies, and when I reached the moment when I began to pray one by one for each of the pastors in my life, it suddenly dawned on me that although God’s plan, and will for each of them was so very different, that it joined them together as one in Christ, and in God. It is a mystery, how we can be so different, and yet the same in God, but from our very creation it has been this way, beginning with something so basic as being made male and female…
“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 ESV
One image (imago Dei) of God, and yet we were made male and female… how amazing it is that God has made provision for this uniqueness through our DNA, and for so many other variations as well… yet all of these things that we now use to divide ourselves are included in the single image of God in which we were created. In truth we are dividing ourselves from ourselves… creating division where there is none. We are calling an arm an arm, and a leg a leg, without seeing the body as a whole… which is the true image of God. We hate one or the other part when they are all constructed the same, and made to be one.
“The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.”
Proverbs 22:2 ESV
How simple we are, and how complex is God. His thoughts are indeed beyond our own, and so incredibly hard for us to grasp. Our individual differences being made as one image is a complex mystery to us, so to help us in our understanding God sent His Son Jesus to reveal it to us. He did so by his words and actions… love thy neighbor as thyself, let the one without sin cast the first stone, the Good Samaritan, dining with sinners, and so many other parts of the same complex message… we are all made in the one image of God, and Jesus is that perfect image.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
So today let’s begin to look at ourselves as one. Though we can’t understand the complexity of this mystery, let’s accept it in faith. Let’s take at face value that Christ is all in all, and apply this as truth by realizing that when we hate another we are in fact hating Jesus Himself.
“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Matthew 25:40 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for creating mankind in your image, and for sending your Son Jesus to instruct us in how we are meant to love one another, and live together in unison as one physical, and spiritual body… one image that is yours. Thank you for for sending your Holy Spirit to give us understanding of this truth as we are able to grasp it. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who created us to reflect yourself. Praised be your name for every time that we love another, because as we do so we are loving Jesus Christ who is all in all. Merciful are you Lord for making us in this way, and for placing Christ in us that we might see you more completely. Help us to overcome, and throw off, the world within us, and return to that image of yourself we are meant to be… give us the strength and perfection of your Holy Word so that as we struggle to erase the smudges of the world from the perfect image we were created to be , your glory will be revealed in us. Wash us clean of all sin with the blood of Jesus, and make us acceptable, and worthy, as we stand before you in judgement. In this way we pray that you will seat us at your eternal table, and call us your children, friends, and the heirs and joint heirs of Jesus.
“He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Colossians 1:15-20 ESV
Rich Forbes