In the Image of God: A Brief Reflection

In a hurried and fast-paced world where speed and productivity are revered over and against rest and reflection, it is easy to become discouraged and burned out. I know that I have been guilty of neglecting the sacred rhythm of Sabbath rest in my quest to meet my own expectations and those of society and the church.

When we lived in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Denise and I tried to take sacred pauses to simply “be” in God’s presence in the midst of creation. It was easy to do when I often stepped out of the church and had to “wait” for the local elk herd to move across the parking lot on their way from the golf course to Fall River and the meadow. They reminded me to slow down and savor my surroundings.

Today we often see hawks, pelicans, egrets, herons, ducks, and the occasional dolphin when we walk from our apartment to the Wharf and walk alongside the Inter-Coastal Waterway. When we move to our new house in Mobile later this month we will enjoy the beautiful magnolias and azaleas blooming in our neighborhood. We will also enjoy being with the many birds who live in the live oak trees.

What is it that these pause and reflect moments are teaching me? After so many years working and ministering at such a breakneck speed, I am learning to slow down and be more intentional in what I say and do.

I am also learning another lesson that I need to learn and savor every day. Who am I? Who is Michael Moore — Am I a retired Air Force Chaplain? A retired Presbyterian minister? Someone who grew up in Minnesota and has watched SPAM being made? After so many years of being “defined” by my career and calling, I am discovering and savoring who I am aside from all of the “titles.”

I am a child of God. I am created in the image of God (imago Dei). With retirement I am discovering that I haven’t lost a sense of who I am. Instead, I am rediscovering who I am as a child of God. Thomas Merton had something to say about being made in the image of God in his book, New Seeds of Contemplation.

To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name. — Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation (p. 60)

Guess what, dear reader — You too are created in the image of God. You are created to love and be loved. In a world filled with so much fear and division, this message needs to be shared with others. It is done one relationship at a time. Then we will truly live out our calling to be children of God.