Reflecting God's Image

This past week has been a little hard for me. One of those weeks where you just cant get motivated to be with the Lord. I know that if I seek time with Him, I will be filled, but I allowed my flesh to take over a lot this week and was choosing to not put God first. So, obviously my heart has been heavy about this. I know my Creator deserves all of me. All my praise, all my life, everything that I have to offer, even if its just me as I am. As little as that is I need to bring to the altar.

I felt led tonight to take a trip down memory lane and go look at some old pictures from Semester at Sea, specifically from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Rio, on a very high mountain, there is a HUGE Christ statue, called Christ the Redeemer. There it is, a picture of our Savior, standing with His arms spread wide above the whole city and all who are in it, saying come to me and I will redeem you.

I cant remember exactly how I felt when I saw this statue that day in Rio. I even went back and read my journal to see what I recalled my experience to be, but couldnt really find anything of worth. It hit me hard though seeing this picture of myself that I didnt remember I even had. This one of Christ being reflected in my eyes....

Looking at this picture I feel all kinds of emotion, two being the heaviest. Conviction and motivation. Conviction, because I know that the Lord led me to this powerful picture I forgot I even had, to remind me that I bear his image. ALWAYS. Even when I dont feel like it, or dont feel like I am bearing it, the Lord made me that way. He made me, YOU, in HIS image.

Genesis 1: 27

" So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. "

Girls, we are made, created, formed, knit together, in the image of Christ and we are created and called to bear His image with our whole being. This was exactly what I needed to be reminded of this week. When I am not spending time with my Creator, I sure cant reflect Him very well. That image that we bear of Christ is a BIG deal and it should overflow on to everything that we do, say or live.

Which lead me to my next emotion..motivation.

The pastor this morning mentioned the words "Holy urgency" today in church. Something about that phrase really resonated with me. This "Holy Urgency" that was burning in me for the past 2 months hasn't been so hot and flamey this week. I have for some reason decided that it is not so urgent to share the image of Christ that I bear. And I dont know why. But God gave me a picture of myself tonight, physically reflecting His image to remind me what I am made to do.

Girls, this idea of a holy urgency, cant be temporary. I has to bleed out in everything that we do. We need to live in the truth, and the truth is that we were created by God, for God, to bear His image and point people to His wide, open Redeeming arms.

This may have been all over the place, but basically I want you girls to recognize the beauty that lies within your heart. Our heart is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit! What a beautiful thing! And if you are experiencing Him like you should be, your life should reflect it, His image should be reflected in your life, even so much that people all around can see it in your eyes.

Love you girls,

Natalie