Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today- I am made in the image of God, this is my true self.
Luke 20:22-25 TPT
[22] is it proper or not to pay taxes to a corrupt government?” [23] Jesus saw right through their cunning ploy and said, “Why are you testing me? [24] Show me one of the Roman coins. Whose head is on the coin? Whose title is stamped on it?” They answered, “Why, it’s Caesar’s.” [25] Jesus said, “Precisely. The coin bears the image of the Emperor Caesar, and you should give back to Caesar all that belongs to him. But you bear the image of God. So give back to God all that belongs to him.”
Observation
“You bear the image of God.” What an incredible statement, truth. You and I bear God’s image. We are like God, and we belong to God. The character of God – love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, etc these are me, for I am from Him and I bear His character image. Salvation restored me to the source of my true self, God himself, so that from His presence, in His power, I can be me.
Literally from birth, I commence creating a false self, a false self that is ego-based and shaped by the cultural and influencers around me. I become what I think it takes to be accepted and loved. It is only when I realise that acceptance and love are not earned but given to me by God, can I shake off the ego-centric false self and start the journey of being me, having my true self, made in the image of God-self, come forth. It’s when I give myself back to God, to His love, acceptance, forgiveness, do I journey in the intimacy required for me to become me.
This is discipleship, it’s not about doing like we have been taught, it’s not WWJD, it’s a journey into becoming me, the made in the image me, the behaviour flows from identity. As I know myself to be so shall I behave. When I know I am a man of peace, made in the image of Jesus, the man of peace, then I will behave peacefully. When I am living in my false self I may not be able to choose peace for you may have offended the position that gives me love, so I need to fight for me, false me. This is the maturity, the fullness of life that Jesus came to restore, the made in His image true me, that knows and loves that I belong to God.
Application
I will journey always towards the full integration of my true self. I will walk close and intimately with God that He may reveal to me the places where the ego-centric me rules, and I will seek healing and freedom for true me to walk forth and live. My discipleship journey will be shaped by following Jesus into the fullness of the restored image of God.
Response
Thank you that you made me like you. Thank you that you rescue, restore and redeem me to be me. Thank you that you save me to my restored self and then walk me into the fullness of being me. Thank you that you never punish or reject me based on the false self tantrums I so frequently throw. I love being me – the “like you” me. I am blessed to know who I am.
Meditation
Do you know that you have been restored to the image of God at Salvation, and your journey now is to be the true you, the like Him you?
What parts of the false you still shape your life and story?
JOURNEY DEEPER
