An important part of embarking on the spiritual path is to realize who and what we really are. We are, in fact, made in the image and likeness of God. Here's a way of understanding this teaching that is new to me and I think it is very helpful:
One way of imagining the question of image and likeness is to think of a lock and the key made to fit it. A key and its lock do not look like each other, one is not a big version of the other. But a key is made after the image and likeness of the lock, it fits and meshes with it, it belongs in it and its purpose and destiny is to move in it. We are not miniatures of God... but our mysterious evolution influenced by the Spirit working in creation has made us able to "fit" the being of God, our beings match and mesh with God's. Our deepest needs as persons are met and fulfilled by who God actually is. Every aspect of ourselves as persons-in-relationship is blessed and completed by contact and union with all that God is.
--Martin L. Smith from The Word Is Very Near You
Boy, that's a great quote - i am be pilfering it soon....i just love that image of a lock and key....it's given me much to consider.....thanks!
ReplyDeleteroberta
Yeah, me too, Roberta. It's a brand new way of thinking about it to me.
ReplyDeleteI have met Martin Smith, by the way, and he is definitely The Real Thing.