What Does God Want? Understanding Our Purpose as His Image Bearers

Many of us grow up with a distant view of God - perhaps seeing Him as a detached observer in the sky who occasionally notices us when we mess up. But what if our understanding of God's relationship with humanity is fundamentally different from what we've assumed? What if God isn't distant at all, but actively seeking us because it's in His very nature to do so?

Why Did God Create Us?

God Wasn't Lonely or Incomplete

One of the most important truths we need to understand is that God didn't create humanity because He lacked something. He wasn't lonely or incomplete, needing company to fill some void in His existence. God needs nothing because He is God.

Before creating Earth and the human race, God already had a family - the angels, whom Scripture calls "sons of God." In Job 38:4-7, we read that these heavenly beings "shouted for joy when God laid the foundations of the earth." They were already present, watching God's creative work unfold.

God Created Us to Enjoy Us

If God wasn't lonely and already had a heavenly family, why did He create us? The answer reveals something beautiful about God's character: He created us because He wanted to enjoy us, and so that we might enjoy Him in return.

Think about how we naturally care about things we create, especially when they require serious effort and concentrated thought. We feel protective of our work and take pride in our accomplishments. This isn't vanity - it's a natural response to purposeful creation. God shares this characteristic, but in a perfect way.

What Does It Mean to Be Made in God's Image?

We Are God's Earthly Family

Genesis 1:26-27 tells us that God created humans "in his own image" and "in his likeness." This phrase - "image of God" - is crucial to understanding our purpose and identity.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

The Bible uses family language to describe our relationship with God because that's exactly what we are - His children. Just as He has a supernatural family (the angels), God wanted an earthly family as well.

Imaging God as Our Purpose

Being made in God's image isn't just about how we look or think - it's about what we do. Think of the "image of God" as a verb. We were created to "image" God, to be His representatives on Earth.

Genesis 1:28 reveals this purpose: "And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" - Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

Why Does This Matter for Our Daily Lives?

We Are God's Co-Workers

God could have managed Earth entirely by Himself - He's certainly capable. Instead, He chose to create an earthly family whose children would help manage and maintain His creation. We are His understudies and partners in caring for the world He made.

Eden wasn't just God's home; it was His home office. We were created to be God's co-workers, participating in His ongoing work in the world.

Every Person Has Inherent Worth

Understanding that we're all made in God's image gives every human being profound dignity and worth. God wants every person to be part of His family. This means:

• Every person is our sibling in God's eyes
• We all have the same status as image-bearers of God
• Racism, violence, manipulation, and coercion contradict God's design for humanity
• God hates what sin has done to the people He loves

Every Task Can Be Sacred

When we understand our role as God's image-bearers, every aspect of our lives takes on spiritual significance. Whether we're pastors or plumbers, teachers or technicians, our work matters to God when it honors Him and blesses our fellow image-bearers.

Every person, regardless of how small or weak they may seem, has a role to play in someone else's life. Most of the time, this happens in small, unspectacular ways that remind others what life in harmony with God looks like.

How We Live Matters

Our daily choices either bless our fellow image-bearers or curse them. When we live in ways that honor God and serve others, we remind people of what life in harmony with God must be like. When we act contrary to our design, we distort that image.

This is why God is so committed to seeking us and drawing us back to Himself. We matter to Him not just as individuals, but as part of His grand design for human flourishing and partnership with Him.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to see every person you encounter as a fellow image-bearer of God - someone He created to be part of His family. Whether it's the cashier at the grocery store, a difficult coworker, or a family member who frustrates you, remember that God sees them as His child and wants them in His family.

Consider these questions as you reflect on this truth:

• How does knowing you're created in God's image change how you view your daily work and responsibilities?
• In what specific ways can you better represent God to the people around you this week?
• How might your perspective on difficult relationships change if you truly saw others as God's image-bearers?
• What "small, unspectacular" ways can you bless someone this week and remind them of God's love?

Remember, God didn't create you because He needed you, but because He wanted you. You have inherent worth and a unique role to play in His ongoing work in the world. How will you live out that calling today?