Family Likeness
by Malcolm Wood
My wife, Anna and I, have just been blessed by the arrival of our first grandchild, a beautiful baby girl. Abigail is already winning the hearts of all who see her and is proving to be a very happy and contented baby.
Since Abigail’s arrival it’s been interesting to compare her with photographs of other members of the family at the same age. The similarities of certain features even at such an early age are remarkable. Whether such obvious likenesses remain as Abigail grows remains to be seen! No doubt we can all identify certain physical or character likenesses that are evident in our own family.
Genesis clearly tells us that God created man in his own likeness. There’s a great deal in Scripture which describes the nature of God, from which we can determine something of the character of God. For example He’s loving, kind, faithful, wise, patient, just, and holy. And we all have the potential to display something of the character of God, since we were made in His image.
After the fall, the image of God that I believe would have originally been seen in Adam was distorted. In verse 3 of Genesis 5 we’re told about the birth of Seth, Adam’s son, and that he was the ‘very image of his father’. Personally, I don’t think that was just in physical appearance. Something of the changed nature of Adam would also be in Seth. So that pattern has been followed down through the ages of time. Every child born has had the potential to display something of the character of God, but due to the effects of the fall has been unable to do so fully.
The good news is that, through the great love of His Father heart, God has made it possible for that image of Himself to be restored in the lives of those who accept what Jesus did for them on the cross. The sacrifice of Jesus made it possible for each one who believes in Him to regain that relationship with God as their Father, and continue to grow more like him.
From the moment we receive Jesus as Saviour and commit our lives to Him that transforming work begins, and continues until we meet Him face to face. The challenge for us is; how much do we allow that work to take effect in our lives, and how much do we hinder it by allowing self to take control, instead of submitting to the will of the Father?
2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that ‘The Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image’. John writes ‘Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is .And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure (1 John 3:2-3).
Prayer: Dear Lord, I’m sorry for so often hindering the transforming work that You are wanting to achieve in me. Please help me to submit more and more to Your will and purposes for me, so that I may become more like You. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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