Uplook - October 31, 2025
Greetings a little early from Seattle,
I'm writing today rather than Saturday because tomorrow is filled with a couple of exciting and momentous events. They have caused me to consider something which theologians call the Imago Dei (Latin for "in the image of God") . The basis for this is taken from the creation account found in Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:26–28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Tomorrow's events begin with a "baby sprinkle" (apparently that's a smaller version of shower) for my youngest daughter and her husband who are expecting another child. They will conclude with us attending a surprise birthday reception for a dear friend and sister who is celebrating 95 years of life.
I was thinking about the Psalmist who declared that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and Jeremiah, whom God declared he knew before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5) and finally the Psalmist again stating "My times are in thy hand..." (Psalm 31:15). We are all created in God's image and valuable from conception until natural death, with our value continuing into eternity. Our culture seems to be in a sort of "free fall" devaluing God's precious creation on every hand. Ending the lives of the preborn and those deemed less than perfect, commodification of children for profit or personal gratification alone, taking of lives because of disease, age, or disability and calling it health care all should all make our hearts cry out.
And beyond those tragedies, there is the basic dignity and respect which we are called as Christians to give to EVERY person, all created in God's image irrespective of their nationality, personality, disability, polity and a host of other "ity's" May we as Image Bearers, remember that we are to be reflections of the One whose image we bear to all those around us who also bear His image. May our lives call them back into full fellowship with a Creator who loves them and sent Christ to die for them.
God bless you all.
Housekeeping Notes:
Daylight Savings time: Please turn your clocks back 1 hour on Saturday night.
Choir: There will be choir practice on Sunday at 3:30 PM
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
I'm writing today rather than Saturday because tomorrow is filled with a couple of exciting and momentous events. They have caused me to consider something which theologians call the Imago Dei (Latin for "in the image of God") . The basis for this is taken from the creation account found in Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:26–28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Tomorrow's events begin with a "baby sprinkle" (apparently that's a smaller version of shower) for my youngest daughter and her husband who are expecting another child. They will conclude with us attending a surprise birthday reception for a dear friend and sister who is celebrating 95 years of life.
I was thinking about the Psalmist who declared that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and Jeremiah, whom God declared he knew before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5) and finally the Psalmist again stating "My times are in thy hand..." (Psalm 31:15). We are all created in God's image and valuable from conception until natural death, with our value continuing into eternity. Our culture seems to be in a sort of "free fall" devaluing God's precious creation on every hand. Ending the lives of the preborn and those deemed less than perfect, commodification of children for profit or personal gratification alone, taking of lives because of disease, age, or disability and calling it health care all should all make our hearts cry out.
And beyond those tragedies, there is the basic dignity and respect which we are called as Christians to give to EVERY person, all created in God's image irrespective of their nationality, personality, disability, polity and a host of other "ity's" May we as Image Bearers, remember that we are to be reflections of the One whose image we bear to all those around us who also bear His image. May our lives call them back into full fellowship with a Creator who loves them and sent Christ to die for them.
God bless you all.
Housekeeping Notes:
Daylight Savings time: Please turn your clocks back 1 hour on Saturday night.
Choir: There will be choir practice on Sunday at 3:30 PM
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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