Embracing God's Image: A Prayer for Today

 

Summary

Embrace today as a gift from God, a fresh start where we can find Him in every moment. The question I pose is: what prayer will you pray today? Inspired by Anne Lamott, a quirky and devoted follower of Jesus, we reflect on the simple yet profound prayer, "Oh God, my hair," which she uttered upon seeing her reflection. This humorous and self-deprecating moment invites us to consider what we lament about ourselves when we look in the mirror. It raises the question: what does God see when He looks at us?

In Genesis, we learn that God created mankind in His own image. This profound truth means that every human being is a sacred reflection of God, not just kings or rulers. We are all made in His likeness, which has significant implications for human rights and dignity. God did not create us to rule over one another but to exercise dominion over creation as His representatives. This challenges the notion of hierarchy and management, reminding us that we are not made to be ruled over by others.

The image of God is not about physical attributes or functions; it is our identity. It is something we can never lose, regardless of our abilities or circumstances. John Goldengay's reflections on his wife Anne, who has multiple sclerosis, illustrate that even when we cannot work or do much, we remain in God's image. Her life is a perpetual Sabbath, reminding us that our worth is not defined by our productivity but by God Himself.

Genesis 5 reveals that just as Adam's child reflects Adam, we reflect God. We are kin to God in a miraculous way. So, instead of lamenting our inadequacies, let us pray, "Oh God, thank you that I bear your image. Partner with me to do what you're calling me to do today." Embrace this day with God, acknowledging His presence and purpose in your life.

Key Takeaways:

- Embrace today as a gift from God, letting go of past regrets and focusing on the present moment where we can find Him. This day is the only place where we can truly encounter God and His purpose for us. [00:42]

- Reflect on what God sees when He looks at you, recognizing that you are made in His image. This truth challenges us to see ourselves and others as sacred reflections of God, deserving of dignity and respect. [03:12]

- God did not create us to rule over one another but to exercise dominion over creation as His representatives. This challenges societal hierarchies and reminds us of our shared identity as bearers of God's image. [05:09]

- The image of God is not about physical attributes or functions; it is our identity. Even when we cannot work or do much, we remain in God's image, reminding us that our worth is not defined by productivity but by God Himself. [09:14]

- Instead of lamenting our inadequacies, let us pray, "Oh God, thank you that I bear your image. Partner with me to do what you're calling me to do today." Embrace this day with God, acknowledging His presence and purpose in your life. [10:33]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:42] - Embrace Today as God's Gift
- [00:55] - The Prayer of the Day
- [01:23] - Anne Lamott's Humble Prayer
- [02:37] - What Does God See in You?
- [03:12] - Created in God's Image
- [04:12] - Human Dignity and Rights
- [05:09] - Dominion Over Creation
- [06:33] - Bearing God's Image
- [07:22] - The Cruciform Image of God
- [08:13] - Reflections on Disability and Image
- [09:31] - Kinship with God
- [10:33] - A New Prayer for Today
- [10:50] - Ending the Teaching
- [11:17] - Closing and Announcements

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Genesis 1:27 - "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
- Genesis 5:1-3 - "This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them 'Mankind' when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Genesis 1:27 tell us about the nature of humanity and our relationship with God?
2. How does the sermon describe the significance of being made in God's image, especially in terms of human dignity and rights? [04:45]
3. According to the sermon, what is the one part of creation that God does not instruct humans to rule over? [05:09]
4. How does John Goldengay's reflection on his wife Anne illustrate the concept of being made in God's image despite physical limitations? [08:13]

Interpretation Questions:
1. What implications does being made in God's image have for how we view ourselves and others, according to the sermon? [03:12]
2. How does the sermon challenge societal hierarchies and the notion of ruling over one another? [05:09]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our worth is not defined by productivity but by our identity in God? [09:14]
4. How does the concept of a "perpetual Sabbath" relate to our understanding of identity and worth in God's eyes? [09:14]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you focused on your inadequacies. How can you shift your perspective to see yourself as a reflection of God's image? [10:33]
2. What are some practical ways you can embrace today as a gift from God, letting go of past regrets and focusing on the present moment? [00:42]
3. How can you actively challenge societal hierarchies in your daily life, recognizing the shared identity we have as bearers of God's image? [05:09]
4. Think of someone in your life who may feel undervalued or overlooked. How can you affirm their worth as someone made in God's image this week? [04:45]
5. What specific prayer can you incorporate into your daily routine to acknowledge God's presence and purpose in your life? [10:33]
6. How can you support individuals with disabilities in your community, recognizing their inherent worth and dignity as image-bearers of God? [08:43]
7. Identify an area in your life where you feel the pressure to be productive. How can you find rest and identity in God rather than in your accomplishments? [09:14]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Today as a Divine Opportunity
Embrace today as a gift from God, letting go of past regrets and focusing on the present moment where we can find Him. This day is the only place where we can truly encounter God and His purpose for us. Each day is a fresh start, a chance to experience God's presence in every moment. By focusing on today, we can let go of past regrets and anxieties about the future, allowing us to fully engage with God's purpose for us. This perspective encourages us to see each day as a divine opportunity to grow closer to God and to live out His calling in our lives. [00:42]

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34, ESV)

Reflection: What is one regret or worry you can release today to fully embrace God's presence and purpose in this moment?


Day 2: Seeing Yourself as God Sees You
Reflect on what God sees when He looks at you, recognizing that you are made in His image. This truth challenges us to see ourselves and others as sacred reflections of God, deserving of dignity and respect. Understanding that we are created in God's image transforms how we view ourselves and others. It calls us to recognize the inherent dignity and worth in every person, including ourselves. This perspective challenges societal norms and personal insecurities, inviting us to see beyond physical appearances and achievements to the divine image within. [03:12]

"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)

Reflection: When you look in the mirror today, what is one positive truth about being made in God's image that you can affirm about yourself?


Day 3: Exercising Dominion with Humility
God did not create us to rule over one another but to exercise dominion over creation as His representatives. This challenges societal hierarchies and reminds us of our shared identity as bearers of God's image. The call to exercise dominion is not about power over others but about stewardship and responsibility for God's creation. This understanding challenges societal hierarchies and power dynamics, reminding us that our true authority comes from God and is meant to reflect His love and justice. As His representatives, we are called to care for the world and each other with humility and respect. [05:09]

"And 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 heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:28, ESV)

Reflection: How can you exercise your God-given dominion today in a way that reflects His love and justice?


Day 4: Worth Beyond Productivity
The image of God is not about physical attributes or functions; it is our identity. Even when we cannot work or do much, we remain in God's image, reminding us that our worth is not defined by productivity but by God Himself. This truth is a powerful reminder that our value is not tied to what we can do or achieve. Even in times of illness, disability, or inactivity, we remain precious in God's sight. Our identity as bearers of His image is unchanging and independent of our circumstances, offering us a deep sense of worth and belonging. [09:14]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself today that your worth is not based on your productivity or achievements?


Day 5: Partnering with God in Daily Life
Instead of lamenting our inadequacies, let us pray, "Oh God, thank you that I bear your image. Partner with me to do what you're calling me to do today." Embrace this day with God, acknowledging His presence and purpose in your life. This prayer invites us to shift our focus from our shortcomings to the divine partnership we are called to. By acknowledging God's presence and purpose, we open ourselves to His guidance and strength in our daily lives. This mindset encourages us to approach each day with gratitude and a willingness to fulfill His calling, trusting in His provision and support. [10:33]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can partner with God today in fulfilling His purpose for your life?

Quotes


Embrace this day, for it is God's gift to you and it's the only place where you will be able to find them, and lift up your heart, and let's discover together how we can find God in each moment every inch of space and time, and the question I want to ask you today is what prayer will you pray today. [00:40:52]

What does God see when he looks at you? We're going through Genesis and this is the most important statement about human beings we'll come back to this one God says in Genesis 1 verse 27 so God created Mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them male and female he created them. [00:176:28]

What's interesting is God sees his image in people he sees people made in His image in his likeness, and the general idea of that notion of image is in the ancient world Kings would often set up an image kind of like in our day governor of the state might put a picture of herself or himself in the post office to remind everybody you were under this Administration you are under this rule. [00:212:51]

God makes human beings In His Image male and female and tells them to exercise Dominion be responsible for exercise Authority for the good as a servant over all the creation the one thing he does not say is rule over each other God did not create human beings to be ruled over. [00:314:10]

Instead we are each made to Bear the image and the worth of God in this world in the work that we do, now when God looks at you he sees his image do you see that, because we have this idea of what it means to be a glorious human being oh God my hair, how glorious does your hair have to be for you to Bear the image of God. [00:377:34]

The image of God means that you are able to do God's work in the world to partner together with him but the image of God at its deepest is not just an attribute and it's not just a function it is your identity and you can never lose it, and you never don't bear it. [00:454:38]

John Goldengate is a great Old Testament scholar and he's got a commentary on Genesis and he writes words that are very very touching when he's writing about this passage in the image of God my wife Anne has multiple sclerosis, she was able to have children and we brought them up and she worked as a psychiatrist but eventually had to abandon her work. [00:474:66]

She now cannot move at all, hardly even to raise an eyebrow, she cannot do anything for herself or speak, is she still a person in the image of God, living with Genesis 1 and Anne's increasing disability leaves me with several Reflections because handicapped people are indeed human beings made in God's image the rest of the world owes it to them to seek to make it feasible for them to have as much control over their lives as possible. [00:499:02]

We should help them Master as much of the world as possible rather than take over and run their lives for them, but a kind of Converse is that handicapped people remind the rest of us that being unable to work or even do much of anything turns out not to mean you stop being human, and is obliged to live a Perpetual Sabbath. [00:535:14]

It is not merely work that defines the image of God, it is it is God himself, there's a remarkable passage that is just uh very sure that it comes in Genesis Genesis 5. never noticed this until Remy John goldengate's book, uh Genesis 5 1. this is a written account of Adam's family line when God created mankind he made them in the likeness of God. [00:563:10]

When Adam has a son he has him in his likeness and His Image in other words as Adam's child reflects Adam somehow we reflect God, we are made in the image of God because in some strange amazing miraculous wonderful way we are kin to God, so today instead of praying oh God my hair oh God my body oh God my inadequacy oh God thank you that I bear your image. [00:611:94]

Partner with me to do what you're calling me to do today oh god let's do it together end the teaching beginning of your day with God. [00:644:70]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Jun 02, 2023. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?