Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

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Read

1 Corinthians 15:42-49 (NRSV)

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

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Reflect

I will always be my father’s child and my mother’s child. I have physical and personality traits of each that are undeniable. In a checkout line, a lady looked at me a couple of times, then asked, “Are you related to Betty Jo?” I smiled and said, “Yes Ma’am. She’s my mother.” I bear her image profoundly enough that her former classmate recognized her in me.

I also have traits of my father, especially in my personality. Genetic make-up is determined by both parents. I recently discovered, through medical testing, that I carry a gene that negatively impacts liver and lung function. Thankfully, only one parent passed that gene to me, so it should not affect me significantly, but it will always be in my genes. I carry my Dad’s genes even though he passed away 20 years ago. We even carry the genes of those who lived centuries ago, and they still determine who we are physically and medically, and probably parts of our personality.

Being created in God’s image will not change—not even in death. We each carry God’s image with us in this life and into eternity.

When we look at humanity as a whole, we can see different parts of who God is. We can piece together a picture of God, because the image of humanity bears the image of the Son of God.

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Pray

Heavenly Parent, may you always be proud to call us your sons and daughters. Help us to honor your name through the lives we live. May we bear a witness to the world that you are loving and living among us today. Amen.

Go with God.