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When I get a handful of candy, Skittles for example, I’ll plan out which colors I will eat first. I’ll put the yellow, green, red and purple out in front of me and then I’ll save the best for last – orange.
“Best for last” is a phrase I have heard many times in my life. With the last name of Young, there were more times than not I would be at the end of the line. I was always the last to be called.
Sometimes when I am telling a story, I save a detail I think is the best for the very end. I do it for the “wow factor.” The rest of the details seem to set it all up and then, bam, you’ve got this awesome thing and the whole story comes together – kind of like a punchline at the end of a joke.
On the sixth day, we see God has saved the best for last. He is about to wow us.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth and the creatures that crawl on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” God also said, ‘Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:26-31)
I have read this passage of scripture about six times this morning just to try to catch every detail because there’s so much to this passage.
Let’s start with verse 26: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26).
Read it again. What do you notice?
Us, our and our is what sticks out to me. These three words bring forth an important concept and doctrine of our faith.
Who is God speaking to and about when He says those words?
This is a reference to the Trinity.
What is that?
The trinity is God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus. They are all one God but separate persons.
I’m not asking you to understand this 100%. Obviously, God’s ways and thoughts are far beyond ours and there will be things we can’t quite grasp this side of heaven. But one day, we will see and know. So, don’t feel alone if you don’t fully grasp the concept.
The main point is they were all there.
They all existed before time began.
They were not created.
In John 1:1 it says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
The Word is Jesus.
So, what I would first like you all to note is that at creation, the Trinity existed.
Secondly, humans are made in the image and likeness of God.
What does that mean?
We are designed to reflect God’s glory. Just as He created the moon to reflect the sun, we too should reflect the light of Christ to this world, the Son of God by the way we live.
Lastly, God created us in His image by giving us natural authority – dominion over all that creep across the earth.
We were set apart from every other living thing – not only were we given a voice to speak, but we were given a conscience and a soul. From the beginning, we were created with the ability to choose.
I love studying Genesis – the beginning of all things and us.
I’m in awe of God’s work. I can’t wrap my mind around all that He is capable of, but I know that all of it, ALL of it, is for a purpose.
Your life has a purpose and it all comes back to this passage – we were made to glorify God.
With our lives, our work, our actions and our words – all of it should bring glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 2020 by Yalanda Merrell. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.