We are about to commemorate the death and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. During this season, I usually focus on retelling the story of Christ’s passion and the glorious moment of His victory, once and for all, over sin, death, and the grave. Instead of focusing on what He did this year, I want to focus on why He did it. We find the answer to that question in Genesis 2:26-27,

“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness . . . so God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

You and I were created in the image of God. The Latin phrase, The Imago Dei, means the image of God. God made you to be a living and breathing representation of His very own nature. Think of the significance of that statement – you are the very image of the Most High God.

When Heather and I look at our sons, we see ourselves in them. When they were born, we compared our baby pictures with theirs. The similarities were striking. By God’s grace, we were given the glorious privilege of creating two people who carry our image. We see ourselves in them. It is the reason we react strongly against anything that would hurt them or would threaten our relationship.

My friend, that is how God sees you – and it is why He came to rescue you. You were made in His image. When He sees you, He sees a reflection of Himself. He came to conquer sin, death, and the grave because you belong to Him.

In honor of this special season, I want to celebrate The Imago Dei with you. Maybe when you realize just how awesome you are, the stories of Lent and Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday will make more sense to you. YOU ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD!

God is free — and created you to live in freedom.

God is love — and created you to live in love.

God is one — and created you to live in unity.

God is good — and created you for goodness.

God is holy — and created you for holiness.

God is light — and created you to live in light.

God is eternal — and created you to live with Him forever.

God is sovereign — and created you to rule under authority.

God is just — and created you to seek justice.

God is merciful — and created you to give mercy.

God is gracious — and created you to live graciously.

God is more — and created you to be more – so much more!

I’m going to guess that when you got up this morning and looked in the mirror, you didn’t see the image of God. Instead, you saw weariness and regret and disappointment and worry and fear and failure. How do I know that? Well, I confess that I sometimes see the same things in the mirror. Life takes its toll on all of us. We understand what Paul was feeling when he wrote,

“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing . . . what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” See Romans 7.

My dear friend, the image of God maybe buried under years of struggle and pain and grief and guilt, but in you, God still sees His reflection!

That’s why Jesus came. He came to save those He created in His image. To do so, He had to conquer sin, death, and the grave – and that’s what He did, but it’s not why He did it.

The why is you. When He looks at you, He sees more – so much more.
Do you believe it? Belief is the key that unlocks truth.

It’s not by chance that you are reading this article. It’s not by chance that there is a church near your home. It’s not by chance that you saw Franklin Graham talking about Jesus in a TV commercial. It’s not by chance that God has given you one more day. None of it is by chance. All of it has been designed by God to awaken you and draw you toward Himself. He made you. He loves you. He wants you to share fully in His glorious Kingdom – forever. Why? Because you were made in His image.

I want you to say it out loud. “I am made in the image of God.” Say it again. Keep saying it until you find yourself believing it. Remember, belief is the key that unlocks truth.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . .” John 1:12

I quoted Paul a little earlier in this article. In desperation, He asked, “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” In the very next statement, he gives the answer, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ!”

Today can be your resurrection day. Are you going to put it off? Are you afraid you can’t live it? Have you tried before and failed? Did someone sidetrack you with religious legalism and bondage?

Listen closely; God has never given up on you. The very fact that you’re still reading this article is a clear indication that God is seeking you right now. I pray with all my heart that you will believe it.

Happy Resurrection Day!