August 10, 2020

Daily Devotionals

August 10, 2020

Our Peachtree Church email devotionals this week, August 10–14, will all be written by Peachtree’s Student Ministry Staff.

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created mankind in his image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth… God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the 6th day.

Genesis 1:26-28, 31

Take a moment to imagine a world in which all the people you encountered truly believed that they were created in the image of God, that they had infinite value and God’s stamp upon them, and that they were a creation God Himself called “very good.” Insecurities would fade, confidence in ourselves and in the Lord would increase, and all communication would be framed in love. Such a shift in culture would be profound!

Now, take a moment to imagine a world in which YOUR perspective was such that every person you encounter is also made in the image of God. With this perspective as a foundation for our world view, every interaction, small or large, would take on a whole new meaning. It would mean that each one of us gets to be God’s representative to the world!

The idea that all humanity bears the image of God was a foreign concept to ancient, near-eastern cultures. When kings took over any new territory, they erected statues or images of themselves to signify who was in control. This action was taken to prove that they were themselves descended from the gods or were divinely placed in control. The Israelites would have been familiar with this practice.

This passage in Genesis would have been REVOLUTIONARY, for it states that not just kings are made in the image of God but all of mankind, also. Now the question is, as God’s representative to the world, how are you going to reflect the image of God today?

For Reflection

Why is it important that God created us in His image? What does this creation say about your own personal value?

How different would your life be if you lived out each day as one who is created in the image of God?

What are some practical ways to treat those around us as if they, too, were created in the image of God?

Prayer

Lord, thank You so much for crafting me in Your image and for the infinite meaning this understanding brings to my life. I confess that at times I do not treat those around me as if they are also made in Your image. Help me to see the people around me as You see them, beautifully crafted in Your image. Guide me in representing Your Kingdom to my neighbors that I may be a light in their lives. Thank You for your grace, truth, and love, each and every day. Amen.

Alex Alderman
High School Associate