Day 33 meditation emphasises how the image of God is formed in man.
One does not have to look very far to recognize that something is amiss in the world. From the catastrophic events of natural disasters to the personal turmoil of the individual, it seems, at best, people must put forth tremendous effort merely to survive. Even with the advances of modern man, survival is still the primary issue of living (Rom. 1:17-32).
Day 33 meditation reveals how the quest for survival has changed in man.
Western Civilization has simply redefined the arena of survival. In the past centuries, it was a matter of physical survival as man attempted to carve out an existence from an often unfriendly physical universe. In the present century, for many, the quest for survival has largely shifted from the physical to the mental. Although in the world there is still too much poverty, the struggle of man basically has become a struggle for emotional survival.
The history of man amply demonstrates the plight of man. Nations rise and nations fall. Generations come, and generations go. Individuals live, and individuals die. Man forges ahead to catch his moment in the sun, only to find the moment lacking or briefly gone. Often as man nears the top of his quested summit, an event, a figure out of the night plunges him back to the valley to begin once again his endless search for meaning and life.
Day 33 meditation proclaims that man can experience the image of God.
The image of God in man, the production of the Holy Spirit, is expressed in man’s actions, therefore, by “. . . the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal. 5:22,23).” It should be obvious that each of these terms is a relational quality. In a very real sense then the image of God can be seen in his love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. The end of regeneration is that the believer should be formed to God’s image as expressed by the fruit of the Spirit. The image of God in its ultimate fruition is the outworking of the grace of God.