Lately I have been studying a book by Matt Tommey called, "Unlocking the Heart of the Artist".
In chapter six he talks about how each of us was created in God's image
and when we conform to his image, we are most alive. As I contemplated
that I had an epiphany moment.
Of course we are to emulate the characteristics of Christ, such as the fruits of the Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self-Control (Gal. 5:22-23) - but we are not to become a bunch of robots or Jesus clones.
What I saw, in my mind's eye, was a glorious image of God, as though he were an infinitely-faceted diamond, with an infinite number of glittering surfaces - aspects of his inexhaustible character. In each one of those glittering, reflective surfaces was an image - complete in itself, yet only a tiny aspect of the gloriously infinite Divine Nature. And -- here it is -- in one of those marvelously beautiful surfaces, the image I saw was the one in which I was specifically created. I saw my sense of humour, my love for animals, my unique way of looking at things. It was all part of that tiny aspect of God's Nature - the specific aspect in which I was created. The more I conform to that specific aspect of the image of God, the more I become fully alive and fully me. Not a robot or even a Jesus clone, but ME. Not the me that demands my own way, but the me that submits to God and lets Holy Spirit shape me into the real ME - the one created in a specific image of the multi-faceted, glorious God.
Of course we are to emulate the characteristics of Christ, such as the fruits of the Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self-Control (Gal. 5:22-23) - but we are not to become a bunch of robots or Jesus clones.
What I saw, in my mind's eye, was a glorious image of God, as though he were an infinitely-faceted diamond, with an infinite number of glittering surfaces - aspects of his inexhaustible character. In each one of those glittering, reflective surfaces was an image - complete in itself, yet only a tiny aspect of the gloriously infinite Divine Nature. And -- here it is -- in one of those marvelously beautiful surfaces, the image I saw was the one in which I was specifically created. I saw my sense of humour, my love for animals, my unique way of looking at things. It was all part of that tiny aspect of God's Nature - the specific aspect in which I was created. The more I conform to that specific aspect of the image of God, the more I become fully alive and fully me. Not a robot or even a Jesus clone, but ME. Not the me that demands my own way, but the me that submits to God and lets Holy Spirit shape me into the real ME - the one created in a specific image of the multi-faceted, glorious God.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope I have inspired you to seek God so you can discover the Real, Beautiful, Divinely-natured You.
Blessing hugs,
Teresa
No comments:
Post a Comment