The Image of God

The Image of God Devotional

Then God said,“Let us make human beings in our image.” genesis 1:26

After fIve Days of creation, the crowning moment has come: “let us make human beings . . .”

It is almost as if god has a conversation with himself: “let’s do it! let’s make them in our image, in our likeness.” an image is a reflection, so god is telling us that he made us, male and female (see genesis 1:27), to reflect something of his own nature and glory.

This image of god is what distinguishes people from animals. The animals were made by god, but they were not made to be like god. That is why no man or woman should ever be treated like an animal or behave like an animal.

at the center of the Bible story, we find god taking on the form of a human. Why did he take the form of a man and not an animal?

Because man was made in the image of god. People who believe that they are simply developed animals have missed the most fundamental thing god says about them.

god made the first man from the dust of the ground, so we should not be surprised that animals have a biological makeup similar to ours.

But there is more to man than biology: “The lord god formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person” (genesis 2:7).

god formed a corpse, complete with a skeletal frame, and breathed his own breath into it. It became a living being. god is always doing what he did that day, giving “everyone life and breath” (acts 17:25, niv).

He sustains you one breath at a time. You are absolutely dependent upon god.

If you can grasp that you are made in god’s image and that you are dependent on him, you will discover great dignity, and at the same time, profound humility.