“He brought me out into a spacious place: He rescued me because He delighted in me.”
(2 Samuel 22:20 NIV)
It’s hard for some to believe that God delights in us, but I’ve been a parent long enough to be convinced of this truth. I delight in my kids. I enjoy their presence, their personality, their affection, their interests, their accomplishments, their perspective. Even when they are being ugly, I’m able to remember who they truly are.
If I, as a deeply flawed human mother can delight in my children, than how much more does our heavenly Father? He loves perfectly. He sees and promotes the best in His beloved. He catches a reflection (however dimly) of Himself.
“God sees past the tarnish to the treasure.” (Dick Brogden)
Tarnish brings to mind the common penny; only valuable because of it’s imprint. And we are reminded of the imago dei. The Lord is ever conscious of His holy imprint on our personhood. No matter how tarnished, worn or encrusted we become, He knows what we were made for. He recalls our glorious potential and loves us in and around our sin. He ever beckons us back to original intent: we are created to bear His image.
As believers, we blossom when we begin to cooperate with our divine design. We grow in relationship with others when we start to see God’s DNA in them as well. The Great Commission becomes a whole lot more attainable when we can continually remember: all the people we encounter were created in God’s image and we get to participate in the awesome task of uncovering and rediscovering.
Once we realize the imago dei in ourselves and in others, souls regain the tremendous value they were always intended to wear. We can learn to treasure what is truly important in this fading and decaying planet: the people that inhabit it rather than the stuff we can collect. In the words of my friend Lindsey: “We love people and we use stuff, not the other way around.”
“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NIV)
Lord, we are so glad that You delight in us. A child sure of her Father’s love has already won so many of life’s battles. We realize that You delight in Your children because You see yourself in them and we are glad of that, too. Let us walk sure of Your love and let us start to see Your image in others. Awaken our appreciation for the people around us, may we see them as sons and daughters, not as inconveniences or frustrations. May we cheerfully participate in the Great Commission, all in on Your good plan for mankind. Amen.