This human nature of being created Imago Dei, in the image of God, manifests itself in three distinct ways. By this creation we are called to live three different roles. This roles manifest themselves in how we interact with God, with each other and with the blessings god has bestowed upon us. The first role to which we are call is to be in communion with God. In Genesis, the Bible says that Adam and Eve 'walked with God" and visited with God in the Garden. The relationship was one of community, caring and conversation. Each human, therefore is called to commune with God in such a way as real communication occurs. This happens in prayer, praise and worship. We communicate with God via prayer. In prayer we speak to God of our trails, tribulations, blessings and desires, and God in return speaks to us and leads us in the direction God wishes us to grow. It is a two way conversation. In Praise, we lift up God and recognize God's wondrous ways. In worship, we offer adoration to our Lord and King. We, as individuals and as a group offer to God what is truly only due to God. Any true form of communication is a creative endeavor given to us by God. Every Creative impulse we have comes from God. God is our impetus. In creating anything that communes with God; art, dance, music, prayer, or play; we fulfill our call to commune with God.
The second role to which we are called is to commune with one another. God created us to live with one another. We are to be present with one another, to live with one another, to communicate with one another. Our job is to love each other as God loves us. This means that me must learn to look at each person as if God is present in each one. In truth, God is present in each of us, and as such, we should offer to one another the same love, consideration, praise that we would offer God. When we create art that speaks to the human condition, that meets the needs of the viewers, that calls each of us to affirm the Imago Dei in each of us, we are fulfilling our second role to commune with one another.
The third role to which we are called is to be good stewards of the creation that God has made. The creation referred to here is not just the created world around us, the air , the birds, the land, and the sea; rather it refers to all of creation and the gifts and blessings God has bestowed upon us. These gifts and blessings include our good health, our creative abilities, our communicative abilities, our minds our hearts and our souls. We are to be good stewards of all that God has given us. We are to use these gifts to better the world around us, to strengthen our ties with humanity, to preserve nature in all of her wonders, and to worship God. the use of our creative talents and abilities toward these ends is the third role to which we are called.
So, each of us, by our God created natures, is created Imago Dei, in the image of God, to be creative beings. We are created to commune with God, to commune with each other, and to be good stewards of Gods creation. Let us use our creative gifts in the Church and in our daily lives as we struggle to live out the promise of being created Imago Dei. |
