I remember hearing stories from my folks about how I was almost a junior. My dad’s name is Joshua. Somewhere along the line, a compromise was made and my middle name bears his namesake. All my life I can recall how people who knew my father would see me and say, “You look just like Josh!” or “Look at little Josh...”. When people saw me, they recognized my father’s image in my face. Even some of my mannerisms would resemble his.
Now that Pop has gone to glory, I still get the same comments from others the older I get. I carry his likeness. As a born again believer, our opportunity to see God the Father’s likeness is real through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Genesis 1:26 declares:
“And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
What’s interesting to note in this scripture is at the very beginning of God’s plan for man, image and likeness precede dominion. Beloved, who you are like in the spirit matters to God. Full authority in God’s kingdom is in Christ, who always did those things that pleases the Father. To be made like Jesus Christ means we are made IN His image, and AFTER His likeness. Sin caused man to look for another likeness other than the God of all creation by eating the fruit that was forbidden vs eating the provision God made plentiful.
Our creation is a personal one. So is our salvation. Jesus afforded us by his stripes and on the cross that by the spirit of sonship, we can look like the Father in our everyday walking around lives. The question to ask is, what are we looking like spiritually? That’s an awesome place to talk with God about in your prayer time.
Imagine a world where the church looks more like Jesus than any political, scientific, sensual or man made construct. Well, guess what...We don’t have to imagine, beloved! That reality is a present one we can have by the help of the Holy Spirit who always speaks well of our king Jesus, and teaches us how to be in our Christ likeness.
Be like Jesus, so the world can say, “There goes someone who spends time with God.” We have all the help we need.
Time to act like it daily. May God’s grace be sufficient as we grow in Christ likeness. Amen.