Grace Notes // Hope and a Future Week 1
The Imago Dei
Written By: Margeaux Lawson
The Call of Jeremiah:
“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”” - Jeremiah 1: 4-8
The Root of Identity
The Imago Dei, which translates to the Image of God, is centric to the way God views us, desires us to live, and in turn, informs how we treat others. In Genesis 1:27, God creates man in his own image, male and female and he blesses them. The Lord sets desires on all of our hearts, but his intention was not for us to find our identity in our desires, passions, jobs, interests, etc. God desires us to live in each moment, with our identity rooted in Him, so that we can walk and act in the gentle and merciful ways of the Lord as we carry divine representation. The Lord sees you as wonderful, beautiful, unique, and like a poem, written from his heart.
I find it profound, as Pastor Chris mentioned in his sermon, that we are all poems, which comes from the Greek poiema, meaning “workmanship or masterpiece.” I want to sit in the beauty that my identity is rooted in Christ Jesus. I was inspired by thinking about myself and all of humanity as poetry, that I wrote a poem for you all.
Restoration
May your eyes be lifted
And your ears opened
To the heavenly realms of Jehovah
May your worth be found
in the name of the Lord
And your rest be found
in the arms of Jesus
May your soul be filled
with laughter by the Holy Spirit
Let your ears ring
with the songs of heaven
And your spirit sing praises
with the heavenly hosts
May you wake in the morning
knowing you were handcrafted by Abba
And may your path each day
take you to the feet of your Maker
The Consequence of Generational Sin
Generational sin plays a core role in the injustices perpetrated through centuries that have built our society, systems, and ideals. The twisting and misinterpretation of scripture through centuries has led us into the moment in time we live in today. As Patty Leach put it, “Our decisions have descendants” and we are in reckoning right now. The Imago Dei was meant for everyone: the marginalized, all races, all people groups, children, criminals, billionaires, the homeless, refugees, immigrants --all people, period. Let us not forget that God came down in the form of a man as a Jewish carpenter named Jesus. As followers of Christ, we must take responsibility for what the church has done before us and walk in the way of love and mercy for all of God’s children. We are called to fight injustice and to help raise the voices of the oppressed.
As Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce said:
“As soon as enslaved people learned to read English, they immediately began to read the Bible, and they immediately began to protest this idea of a biblical justification for slavery,”
There is no justification for what the church has done before us and it’s in our hands to fight for justice, no matter what race, culture, or ethnicity we are.
Ponderings:
Digging deeper into where we root our identity is a vulnerable task but a necessary one. I challenge you (as I am also challenging myself) to look within yourself and ask God what needs to be excavated and transformed within you.
Processing:
Where do you find your worth and where do you feel your identity is tied?
What does it look like for you to go into the quiet place with the Lord?
What does it look like for you to actively seek out justice in the context of your life?
Songs for Worship:
“Heal Us” by Indelible Grace ft. Blessing Offor
“ Purge Me” by Urban Doxology
“Abba (Arms Of A Father)” by Jonathan David Helser
“Made A Way” by Travis Greene