Be'tzelmeinu -- "In Our Image"

It seemed a great idea. Being stationed at an Air Force Base overseas on the island of Crete is surely something the Lord would endorse...after all, it's an island that was visited by the Apostle Paul, an island rich in history, an opportunity to witness to another people group.

Have you ever forced the wrong lid on a jar, only to have it reflect your wrong choice? Such was my plight when I practically forced the door open to be stationed in Crete, Greece. The doors were closing at every turn as the Lord indicated to me that He did not want me there. But eventually, He allowed me what I fought so hard for. The two years weren't all bad ...but they were mostly miserable and very costly.

I am dutiful to my personal agendas and to-do lists, as well as determining what I consider my best paths to traverse. Since retiring a few years ago, my to-do lists are free and easy, but I am none-the-less "duty-bound." And that's the point...they are my agendas.

The Lord has been teaching me lately what it means to be an image-bearer. In Genesis, we read that He created us Be'tzelmeinu, meaning, "In Our Image," a reference to our triune God. So, what does it mean to be an image-bearer? Being an image-bearer doesn't mean trying to act like our Messiah. It means rather, that we yield ourselves to His life within us, thereby expressing His image through us. No longer should we abide by the axiom, "What would Jesus do?" Living that way results in us merely trying to imitate Him...and we will fail in doing so at some point. Yeshua has placed His Ruach in us in order to shine His image through us.

I suspect that most of Christendom has come to believe that salvation results for those who believe in Yeshua AND live up to His standard. We love to think that God's favor is upon those who work hardest for Him and live morally pure lives. So did the Pharisees. However, I'd like to suggest that any hint of "Notice what I'm doing for You Lord!" is a fruitless path. I fell into that trap quickly after coming to Yeshua, thinking that once He provided forgiveness and salvation (which are two different things entirely), it was up to me to then emulate Him.

Does "abundant life" mean behaving well and working for Yeshua? For me, that is merely an alteration of my own agenda. Life in Messiah comes with allowing His life to flow through me. How does one do that? The answer is simple in one sense but radical in another.

I submit for your consideration, that perhaps the abundant life comes only in letting Him live His life through us, rather than performing my best imitation of Him. Letting Him live His life through me would necessitate me asking Him to do just that, to live His life through me by directing my paths each day, in each situation...now THAT would certainly result in the abundant life. Now understand this...I am constantly trying to wrestle away my agenda from Him in order to perform my Self-Inspired Narrative, as my step-brother, Pastor Mike Atkins puts it.

Abba is so kind and patient with us and understands our resistance to surrender, but still wishes to work with us so that He can express Himself through us. In my way of thinking...this is what "trust" really means...not just that I intellectually assent to the truth that He is, but to also learn to hear His voice and yield to His way. That kind of trust is day-to-day, even moment-to-moment.

The Ruach will not compete with us. We can follow our own agendas and He will continue to abide and love and teach. But allowing THE LIFE of Him to flow through us is of much greater abundance. And, in order for that to happen, I must yield. In order to yield, I must listen. In order to listen, I must pause. Busyness and agenda-setting is far less likely to bring about the abundant life. His life in us IS the abundant life.

Dear Abba, from the abundance of Your desire to show Your image through us, please give us willingness to yield, please sharpen our ears and minds to hear You, and please alert us when You drop a word into our hearts. Shalom, haverim!