* BEING Blessed In His Image !!

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,"
. . . in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (GENESIS 1:26-27)."

We are blessed, are we not, to be created in God's image? Sometimes, though, when we look into a mirror, we might wonder! My nine-year old daughter spends more time than I care to relate in front of the mirror, curling iron and brush in hand. This bathroom clog-up usually takes place on Sunday morning when we are all scrambling to get ready for Sunday school and church. What will it be like when she is a teenager!

This crazy world in which we live overemphazises the outward beauty of face and figure. We are trying to teach our children to give God His rightful glory as the Creator of all things. In Psalm 139:13 and 14 we are told, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well." Our precious little girl who gazes into that mirror is one of those fearfully and wonderfully made works of God!

Imagine, before he or she is born, each tiny infant has been shaped and molded by the mighty hand of God." ...
* have misplaced THIS Devotion so am not able to finish it. This Devotion was specifically named In His Image. I remember that title and have looked everywhere here for it. I will continue with that theme as I have found another Devotion also called In His Image. Perhaps you will notice some similarities. Apologies.k.

In His Image

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps (1 PETER 2:21)."

While living in Nagoya, Japan, I met a lady who taught shuji (Japanese calligraphy). She wanted to improve her English and I wanted to learn how to write Japanese characters with a brush, so we made the happy exchange. Every week she came to my house and taught me shuji, and after the lesson she practiced conversational English with me.

The first step in each lesson was to watch her draw the Japanese character with a special brush. Since she was making the example for me to follow, she used bright vermilion ink. The next step was to mix the sumi with a small amount of water in the well to form jet black ink for my writing practice.

When her beautiful example was prepared, my teacher placed it in front of me. I tried to copy her work, but in spite of my efforts I could not match her artistic brush strokes. Her Japanese character was beautiful. Mine looked like the work of a six-year-old with a shaky hand!

One day the teacher took her red example and carefully laid it underneath my practice paper. With confidence, I traced the clearly visible strokes with my brush. After doing this on several practice sheets, the teacher removed her example and I was "on my own." The result was amazing. By tracing over her Japanese character, I had learned the correct pattern.

Through this experience, the meaning of Christ, our example, was indelibly inscribed on my heart. As I study God's Word, I see Jesus as my example. I trace my life over His life so that I can follow in His steps! E.J. PEASE