Made in God's Image!

             In the beginning, God created man in His own image or likeness (Genesis 1: 26 – 27).  That doesn’t mean that we look like God, but it does mean that we reflect His attributes.  Unlike every other living creature, we have a soul, and we are called to be righteous and holy just as He is righteous and holy. 

            Unfortunately, all too soon after man was created, man used the free choice that God gave him to bring sin into the world.  With that sin, man became corrupted, no longer able to achieve righteousness or holiness on his own.  Thankfully, God wasn’t through with us.  He sent His only Son to pay the price so that through Him we might once more achieve righteousness and holiness. 

            So, what does all that mean in a world filled with hatred and corruption?  Jesus said it clearly in the Sermon on the Mount.  Those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord are the light of the world.  We have been called to spread light in a world filled with darkness.  We have been commissioned to seek all those who are lost.  We have been commanded to go and make disciples. 

            The conflicts that are raging in Israel, Ukraine, Syria, and various parts of Africa are the result of hatred, greed, and pure evil.  While the atrocities that have been committed in the last few days are beyond human comprehension, the real tragedy is that every day, people are going to their graves without any hope of eternity.  God’s heart must break for the people of Israel, His chosen people, who rejected His Son.  Yet, He still loves them and looks to the day when some of them will return to Him (Romans 11: 25 – 27). 

            Knowing God’s love for all people, how should we respond to world events that are horrific and frightening?  First, we must recognize the sanctity of all human life, and remember that God desires that everyone be saved (I Timothy 2: 3, 4).  As much as we may despise the horrific actions of Hamas, they are still human beings, created in God’s image, and they are people that Christ died to save.  The same is true of the Israelites.  Pray that all their hearts will be changed and that through visions and encounters with Christ, they will come to know Him as Lord.

            At the same time, we know that God never condemned war.  In fact, there were often times in the Old Testament when He commanded the Israelites to go to war against their enemies.  In I Samuel 15: 18, He ordered the Israelites to wipe out the Amalekites.  As much as we like to see God only as a God of love, which He is, we also like to ignore the fact that He is a God of vengeance.  I can’t speak for God or give His opinion on the current war, but I do know that God doesn’t change (Malachi 3: 6).  He is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

            With that in mind, pray for wisdom for all the world leaders who are involved in the decisions that will determine the course of this war.  Pray that they will seek God’s guidance in the decisions that they make. Pray for the innocent lives who will be lost and the families who will be forever changed.  Pray for the Christians who are in Israel and Gaza and all the other countries, that they may continue to be “light” amid great darkness.  Look forward to the day when hatred will be obliterated, Satan will be destroyed, and Christ will rule!  Until then, seek God’s wisdom, rest in His love, and tell the Good News!

Romans 3: 21 – 26

Romans 5: 6 – 8

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