In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NKJV
In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. Amplified
God is the creator of everything. He decided that things should be and He spoke them into existence. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. Before this, the earth was formless and empty; there was nothing but darkness. As God's Spirit hovered over the waters of this darkness, He decided to create everything, one step at a time. You can read all about this in the first two chapters of the book of Genesis.
Finally, God created mankind. The Bible tells us man was His most precious creation and that we were made in His image.
God literally spoke each and every one of these things into existence and when they were, He evaluated them. He saw that they were pleasing and giving them His seal of approval, He blessed them. He blessed each and every single thing, living and non-living, which He created. He took pleasure in His creation.
God, the Creator of the Universe and all that is within it, created everyone - including you and me. And, He created us in His own image. Because of this, there is so much I can learn not only about God but also about myself and His hopes and desires for my own life.
He showed me that as I continue in this special quiet time with Him, I should first consider the particular attribute and learn about Him. Then, I should see how that same attribute teaches me something about myself. After all, If I am made in His image, then there must be something of significance about this attribute in my own life as well.
This is true for you, too. We are made in His image and for His purpose. By learning all we can about Him we can better understand His purposes and desires for how we should live and what we should do with all the resources that He created, in service to Him and to each other.
With this in mind, let's take a second look at God as the Creator.
When God first created, He must have considered what He wanted to see happen. He took the time to envision all the details and then He spoke them into existence. After He created something, He evaluated it. God liked what He saw and declared, "It is good!"
1. God took time to imagine and to dream.
2. God spoke it into existence.
3. God took time to enjoy the work of His hands.
Since God created us in His image we should be doing the same thing. We ought to spend time with Him to learn the desires of His heart and then we ought to set out to bless Him with the gifts of creativity He has placed within us.
Sadly, many people feel insecure and worthless, maybe even unacceptable. God looked at everything He created, including man, and said, "It is very good."
When we look in a mirror, instead of seeing ourselves through His eyes, we may see flaws. If this is the case, we are critical of His design. This inability to see ourselves through His eyes hinders our own ability to see how beautifully He created us and it hinders our ability to live and function as He created us to be.
God designed every freckle and every line and crease, every size and shape. He decided the color of our eyes and of our hair. He decided who should be tall or short. God likes variety. Even though He may not like everything that we chose to do, He knows everything about each of us, and He loves us unconditionally.
The Creator of the Universe decided He wanted YOU. He spent time imagining who you should be and what you would be like. He designed you with a purpose in mind and He knit you together in your mother's womb.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 NIV
Let's review what God did
1. God took time to imagine and to dream.
2. God spoke it into existence.
3. God took time to enjoy the work of His hands.
This is our model.
Application
1. God created us in His image. That means that He created us to create!
Do you allow yourself time to be creative and to dream? If so, what are you currently dreaming about?
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How are you working on making those dreams a reality in your life?
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If you haven't allowed time in your schedule to be creative, ask God to show you how you can make the necessary adjustments to allow for this important work. Then, ask Him about His dreams for your life and give yourself the time and permission to not only dream those dreams but also do whatever is necessary to LIVE those Dreams!
Write down what God puts on your heart concerning the dreams and the plans He has for you. Identify how you should get started living this dream.
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2. Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
In other words, there is power in the words we speak. We can either speak life into ourselves and those around us by the words we chose or we can cause great harm; even death by the words we utter. This is not simply referring to us speaking words of encouragement or carelessly being hurtful to one another.
Remember, God used His Words to speak things into existence! Likewise, when Jesus spoke to the fig tree which, although it had leaves it did not bear fruit, the spoken Word had a powerful impact. It literally killed the tree. See the story in Mark 11: 13-14, 20-24.
Since we are created in His image, this is another aspect of our true identity.
Take a few minutes and ask God to reveal in what ways you are good at speaking life into yourself and others and where you need to be more mindful of the ways you use your words.
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Learning to pray God's Word is one of the most valuable and powerful things you can do for yourself. Ask Him if there is a particular scripture verse that He wants you to embrace and stand firm on for your life. Write it down and make it a practice to speak this Word aloud every day. Develop the practice of reading scripture and considering what it is saying for you personally and begin incorporating this into your prayers.
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3. Do you take the time to consider and appreciate your own work? Are you able to say, "It is Good"? Share something you have done, created or accomplished that you can confess, "It is good!"
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If you struggle to recognize your value in this way, spend some time with your Creator and ask Him what He thinks of you and your efforts. Allow Him to lovingly help you honestly evaluate yourself. Write down what He shows you.
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Question for Reflection
When God created you, He considered it "very good." Do you?
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Closing Prayer
God of all creation, thank You for taking the time to design everything that is, including me, so perfectly. Help me to remember that I am created in Your image and when You consider me, You say, "It is very good!" Amen
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