Seriously, We Were Created for What? — Small Stories of a Big God

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:3 (NKJV)

What an amazing thought.

I tend to forget about God’s rights to me. He designed me. He created me. In His own image. There must have been some purpose for such an elaborately designed creature such as myself.

Oh, there it is…dominion. Over the fish and the birds and the livestock and the earth and let’s not forget about every creeping thing. And be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. All of that is in there if you keep reading.

It makes me tired to think about it. I have no ability to have dominion over every living thing. I cannot subdue the earth. I can barely keep up with the weeds in my own yard this summer of afternoon rain.

I go back to that word again: dominion. What does that mean? It’s not a word for cowards. It is a word heavy with responsibility. Caregiver. Decision maker. Provider. Problem solver. Direction taker. Anyway, that’s what I see in God’s dominion over the earth, which He entrusted to us. To me. To you - if you choose to acknowledge God as your Designer, your Creator, your Purpose-giver, your Lord.

We were given life for the purpose of dominion.

What is my domain that I am responsible for? My domain is my house and the land that comes with it. But my domain goes beyond just that. My domain connects to my ability to be fruitful and multiply. I think it goes beyond my son and daughter. I think it quickly spreads out in all directions, connecting one person to another and then another and then another.

And I think of others, close beside me, because of life’s circumstances, who are unable to take responsibility for their own lives. They seem powerless to have dominion in their own domain. For some, life is too big, too out of control.

They are unable to make wise decisions. They are unable to provide for themselves financially. They are unable to provide a rainproof roof over their heads or enough food for their bodies to thrive. They have lost dominion over their earth.

I have a dear cousin whom I have been estranged from for a long, long time. Alcohol, drugs, prison, can do their damage to a point where there is no real recovery. And then illness attacks the body with the overpowering threat of death, and financial ruin destroys the house around you. Eccentric, hermit. And maybe just a little bit crazy. At the least, memory loss from concussion. But I am sure he would prefer the ‘little bit crazy’ explanation.

Our cousin reached out… and my sister has taken hold of his hand. They talk on the phone. They go out to eat. They go to the movies. She invites him over for the afternoon to listen to Bob Dylan and cool off in the pool.

I think this is a good definition of dominion. I think this is a good example of taking care of God’s creation. I think this is what it looks like to be made in God’s image.

God, help me to look more like you.

Question: What has God placed in your dominion? Who has God placed in your dominion?