We were made in the image of God...to represent!

I’m sure you’ve heard it said by your manager or coach – “wherever you are, and whatever you do, remember you are representing this club.” It paints a picture of a broader purpose to being a player or an athlete. You don’t just add value to a team by your performance, but you also have a role to play in showing off the club or manager in the best light to those watching on.

Now, as Christians, amazingly, we know that God is not like the club or team that needs us to perform in a certain way or who values us, depending on how we perform on and off the pitch. Ultimately the gospel makes it clear we are loved despite our performance, not because of it.

With that in view though, we still need to acknowledge a primary purpose of being human is acting as a representative of the one who made us.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule…” Genesis 1:26

The word image in Hebrew is the word 'tselem' and can be translated as idol or statute. An idol visibly represents an invisible being. In the Ancient Near East, statues were placed in temples, as they are now in many other religions, so the worshipper could see what the god was like.

As those made in God’s image, we are, in a sense, his statues in the entire world which is his temple. We are on this earth to make the invisible God visible, to show the world what he is like.

We know that due to the fall, we fail in this role, and yet wonderfully, the perfect image of God, Jesus, came and perfectly makes the invisible God visible. Now, by His Spirit, he helps us continue doing the same.

One author has said that “as a mirror reflects, so a man should reflect God…in man God is to become visible on earth.”

How does your life reflect your maker?

Pastor John Piper has described God’s purpose and goal in creation as “to preserve and display his infinite and awesome greatness and worth, that is his glory.”

He made all things, including us, to show off his awesomeness so that others would recognise his worth and value.

So what?

We so often get this wrong, don’t we? We play to make ourselves look great, not God. We also only think God will be represented well when we win – we make a dangerous link between our sporting performance and how God will be viewed.

Now though, because of the work of Jesus, it is possible to represent God as we have new, restored identities and the Holy Spirit working in our lives, helping us to glorify God in all we do.

So, what difference would it make to your sport if a primary reason we were created was to represent God?

We would enjoy God

The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins by saying:

“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

So, will you enjoy and rejoice in God today?

Will you thank him for who he is and all the good gifts he has given us?

Sport is a good gift from God and is something we can enjoy wholeheartedly, and in doing so, represent our maker through the power of his Spirit.

We declare his goodness

As statues showing off the God we represent, we can, as sportspeople, declare God’s greatness in how we play and what we say of him.

The phrase ‘image of God’ was used in the Near East to talk about kings. As they ruled, they represented and ruled on behalf of the god they worshipped.

As those made in his image to represent him, we can make every effort to remind people of the one who made them, the one who is worth all our praise and in whom we can find true and lasting joy.

The whole of creation is an outrageous gift. God did not need to create; he is totally sufficient within himself, and yet out of his abundant love, he created, and what he created was glorious and good.

Who in your sport today could you tell about the wonderful God who made you and the sports we play?

Prayer

Dear Lord,

We want to recognise that so often, we do not represent you rightly, and we are sorry. Thank you for sending Jesus as the perfect image of you, making you visible to the world. We praise that now, by your Spirit, you help us to represent you in how we play, act and speak. We need your help today to do that and to let our sports friends and opponents see more of you in our lives. Help us, Lord Jesus by your Spirit.

In your name,

Amen