Issue 1251 – Reflections – September 16, 2021

We flushed out a great blue heron while walking around Willband Creek Park early this summer. I tried to quickly catch a few shots with my phone, but none were great. I did like this photo, although it isn’t as well-focused as I hoped.

The pond clearly reflects the arched wings of the departing heron. The image is symmetrical, and I think the reflection adds visual interest. This would have been a throwaway shot if it wasn’t for the reflection.

The pond’s surface isn’t mirror still, so the reflection is a somewhat distorted copy. That thought got me thinking about how we are created in the image of God.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

Every human being carries the image of God (imago Dei). Good, bad, holy and evil people have His image. People of all ages, colours, cultures, genders and socio-economic status are image bearers. It is one thing that sets us apart from the rest of creation.

Animals were created with precision and love but don’t bear the imago Dei. In all its vastness, the universe shows God’s handiwork but not His image.

Not only are we God’s image bearers, but the redeemed are new creations that are His chosen ambassadors.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. That blows my mind. As flawed as we all are, that must be an impossible ministry. If we operated strictly under our own power, it would be. Still, God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit, making the impossible possible.

We have been given the task and the tools. Let’s put them to use. May God make each of us sensitive to the need for reconciliation and peacemaking and help us to do it well.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

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