What does it mean to be created in the multi-dimensional image of God?

What does the image of God look like? He’s infinite, so how can we as finite beings represent an image of the infinite? How can the temporal body reflect the eternal? What does it mean to be created in the image of God? These questions are the impetus behind my explorations in the Infinite Facets Series.

The Infinite Facets series is inspired by the truth that every human is made in the image of God, and explores that truth through each portrait, whether of a child or of an adult depicted in each piece.

Whether you believe it or not, you are made in the image of God! 

What does that mean? The Godhead is triune--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as described by Jesus. Thus, since every human is made in the triune image of God , we each have a triune image - a spirit, soul, and body - three parts all rolled up in one.  You are the exact and express replica (the earth version) of God’s original heavenly design of you from the foundation of the world! 

How can we better understand what this triune image of God looks like? God is Himself not created, so describing His divine image in each human is not a thing that can be fully explained (while we are on this earth) using something that He Himself created, but let me share some revelation that I have received after a lot of pondering - revelation which helps my finite mind to begin to understand His infinite image: 

His divine image is like a jewel with infinite facets, each unique, in a perpetually spinning setting, spinning left, then right, and with each spin, no matter the direction, this jewel forever reveals new facets never seen before. And each facet is represented by an entirely unique human. That jewel could spin forever and there would still appear never-seen-before facets! Put another way:  if humans could be continually born for all eternity, it would never exhaust God's image! Every single one of them would be one-of-a-kind. There's no end to His image - each successively born human is unique in personality and physical form from all others before and after him/her. 

This pastel portrait in process is the first in the Infinite Facets series, which aims to capture the soul and spirit as well as physical form of each human, and reminds us that every single one uniquely reflects God's image - we are each a unique facet of the multi-faceted and infinitely dimensional image of God.

Now let me tell you something specific about the image of God in you. You represent a specific and unique facet of His image on this earth for the specific time that you are alive here and you are a facet that is unique for all time:  so that the combination of characteristics and talents God has gifted to you were His express intention for you to steward, utilize in your life, and celebrate as uniquely gifted from Him. Your characteristics and talents and your physical appearance all reflect that unique facet of His image in earthly time and space that you represent! You are irreplaceable!

You are His like-no-other creation! You embody a singular aspect of the image of the Triune Godhead (minus of course the corruptibleness while on this earth), reflected in your spirit, in your soul (mind, will, emotions), and in your physical body. This is true for every human. There is no one like you, never has been, and never will be! On earth we perceive ‘in part’ (since we are each an earthly version of God's image), but in Heaven, as believers in Jesus, we shall see face to face, as Heavenly originals!  On this earth we know ‘in part’, but in Heaven, as believers we shall know fully, even as we are fully known! 

As the “apple of His eye” (His אשון- Ishon), you are the focus of His love and His attention. The infinite, multi-dimensionality of God prescribes and focuses His infinite love simultaneously to each of the many individual facets of His image on this earth and to all the rest of His creation.  He focuses all His love on each one of us because He is God and He can do that! And He chose to do that! He focuses all His love on you and cares about the details of your life. That means, that if you were the only one who needed salvation, He would have died and been resurrected for you alone! He explained in His Word that He did die for you specifically, to cover your sins, and was resurrected for your individual salvation - should you choose to believe and receive it. He desires intimacy with you and focuses all His love on you! We know this to be true because scripture records the parable of the Good Shepherd that Jesus told, found in Mathew 18:12-13, in which He left the 99 sheep to find and rescue one sheep! And He rejoices over rescuing that one sheep! You can choose to say, "He is MY Redeemer!" and it is true for you as well as for anyone else who chooses to confess it. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus let the truck called death pass over Him, so that only the shadow of death passes over His followers as they pass into eternity. This is immense, indescribable love! 

Given this truth of God's image in each human and His infinite love for each one, I can't help but honour and respect every human, whether of varying class, culture, background, ethnicity, or race - our diversity is an integral part of His image. Each one of us carries the divine image of God in his/her spirit, soul, and body.  

Do you see yourself this way? Are you encouraged by this reminder? Please leave a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts on this meditation!