Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26
God chose to create humanity in His own image and when He did it, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were with Him in Creation. The Lord stated, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Man was created by the Holy triune God, and He created man and woman in the image of the God-head with three parts all in unity. We are created with a spirit, soul, and physical body. Our wholeness and health depends on our spirit man to receive direction from the Holy Spirit, and for every part of us to be in congruence with one another.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
The same God-head (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) who was together in the beginning chose to send the Son to the world in the form of a baby. The King of Kings and the Prince of Peace chose to take the shape and vulnerability of a baby, and he was entrusted to a young humble couple to be raised and protected for God’s purpose! The one whom the government would be upon His shoulder, chose to come in the form of a baby and to be born in a manger away from all the noise, distractions, honor, and the applause of man.
We may wonder, why wasn’t this baby born with a fanfare!? He didn’t need to. God knew man’s condition and the helpless state of humanity. Jesus didn’t come to take a place in the worldly stage. Instead, He came to free people from the bondage of sin, depravity, oppression, false worldviews, and crooked value systems. Therefore, He had no need to be honored by others or to impress anyone. He was there as a physician to heal the sick. He wasn’t there looking to impress the sick or to receive their applause!
Similarly, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords has chosen us as His ambassadors to represent His image on the earth. If we are going to represent Him well, we need to do it His way. He did not seek to be popular or impressive, and neither should we look to receive the applause of man. When we choose to focus on the needs of others for their sakes rather than filling a void in us, our work would be so much more effective. And our churches would become places of refuge for the lost, the sick, and the weary!
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay