Little Chats With God

Posts Tagged ‘image of God’

“… and He asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Ceasar’s,’ they replied. Then He said to them, ‘Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s, and to God what is God’s’.”  Matthew 22:20-21Matthew 22:20-21
English: World English Bible - WEB
20 He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” ²¹ They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

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I love the way You handled this, Lord. These guys thought they really had You, yet You so quickly turned their scheme upside down. The coin bore Ceasar’s image, so of course it was rightfully his.

Somehow, though, I think they missed the fine print, Lord. It seems to me that You were saying something far more important than suggesting that they would be best to pay their tax.

I think You were trying to remind them of the image they bore. Your Word says that we were made in Your image and likeness. If the fact that a coin bears the likeness of a man means that man has a right to that coin, then surely the fact that we bear Your image means that You have a right to us.

I guess it’s easy to miss, Lord. I have trouble getting my head around it, too. Sometimes I see myself as so much unlike You that it is hard to remember that I was made in Your image. You’ve sure got some major repair works to do here, Lord – Your image is pretty much obscured at times.

But then, You never said that the coin was in mint condition. Maybe it was a bit buckled, slightly chewed around the edges. Maybe the image was worn down, barely visible. It wouldn’t have made any difference. The coin was made bearing Ceasar’s image, therefore Ceasar had a right to it.

Likewise, no matter how much Your image in me has become defaced, You have a right to me: to everything I am, everything I have, everything I can ever be or dream of being. Even better, as I yield everything I am to You, You begin to polish, restore and renew Your image in me. Thank You, Lord.