Made In His Image Part Two - Fallen

(Check out Made In His Image Part One – Created)

It is exciting to think about the way God created us – to be like Him – and to realize that that’s what His salvation is about: He created us like Him, and now He wants to restore us to be like Him. But it’s the in between that got me thinking next. 

God created us in His perfect image, we were like Him. But then sin entered, humanity fell, and Satan began his work of transforming creation into his image. Looking around, it’s seems like he’s doing a pretty good job. Our world is full of hurting humanity, of suffering, of pain. Innocent people get sick or killed. Children suffer. 

I think at some point in time we’ve probably all asked Why, God? I know I have. Why is it like this? Where is Your plan in this mess? How does Your love explain sin and innocent suffering? I don’t have answers. I still struggle with these questions, especially when I come face to face with hurting people looking for answers who’ve ruled out the possibility of a loving God, because they wonder how a good God could allow bad things to happen. I won’t be suggesting any solutions, or proposing an explanation, but something did come to mind as I thought about it.

I remember we had a garlic crusher (or garlic press, whatever you want to call it) once. We’d had it for years, and it was strong and did the job it was meant to do – crush garlic. But then someone decided to try crushing some nuts in it. And that garlic crusher broke. The nuts were soft and oily, surely it wasn’t too much of an ask for a strong garlic crush; why did it break? Well, of course a garlic crusher is not made for crushing nuts. It is made for garlic.

It’s a simple analogy, but the point is this: when you use something for other than its intended purpose, it may break. It puts extra stress and strain on it. It’s not a fault of the item; it’s simply that that not what it was made for, what it was created to be.

And to bring that to the next step: who were we created to be? What were made to be? Could it be that the reason we suffer is because we weren’t made to live like this? We were made in the image of a perfect, loving, caring God; we’re going to feel it when we live in a world of indifference and cruelty. 

When we see someone do something for someone else because they genuinely care, or we witness someone going the extra mile, it warms our heart, because that person is doing something God would do, and that resonates with us because we’re made to be like God! It reminds me of a quote (which I actually did post once before, years ago): “Joy comes to the strong when they serve the weak, not because they have done something grand, but because, whether they know it or not, their actions have aligned them with God. He’s the happiest Being ever. When you do what He does, you automatically sense His pleasure. It’s the way He made you.” Bob Shultz, Practical Happiness p151

It follows through that the opposite would bring pain. We’re not made to live in this world. God didn’t intend for us to suffer and deal with sin. He made us to be like Him, and this is where it gets really amazing: God has given us all the help we ever could need to live here, and His plan includes restoring us back into His image, the way He created us. And, I’m looking forward to discussing that next time, because I found it positively exciting. :)

So, I’d really like to hear your thoughts and opinions! Do you have any insights on the topic of pain and sin? What are your thoughts on being made in the image of God and living in a fallen world? What have you found fascinating of late?