Our second word is “make” – To design or craft with great skill.

“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)

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We do a lot of our own “making” in our lives, we make ourselves presentable, we make meals, we make clothes, we make creative projects, we make gardens, and so on. So, why all this incessant “making”? Well, because all of us are makers.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This one of the most famous statements about the origin of all things and then it is followed by a pretty short summary of God’s creative activity and the repetitive observation, “it was good…it was good…it was good.” When we get near the end of Genesis 1, we see the last item on God’s ultimate to do list: “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.”

Make is a verb translated here to mean “to design, or fashion with great skill.” It’s also used the same way in Exodus 31:6 describing the freakishly talented people who helped design the Jewish tabernacle. By using this word it is meant to help us to see God as the great cosmic Craftsman, or the Artist par excellence. Also, to think that humanity was made in God’s image is literally gasp-worthy. The triune God made the human race to represent Himself, is amazing beyond belief.

Incredible when you think about it, isn’t it? Each one of us are the finite image of an infinite God. We are a living, breathing work of art that is meant to resemble our Maker. It’s the Bible’s way of saying that we humans are God’s “piece de resistance”. He actually saved the best for last. This is why God didn’t just say “it is good”, but instead said when He was finished “it is very good.”

The point that is being made here should be unmissable: if we humans were made by the ultimate Maker to reflect and even resemble Him, then it is in our inherent nature to “make things”.

This means all of the imperfect people everywhere are “makers”. They make plans and decisions, messes and mistakes, and even endless excuses. We make friends, make merry, make babies, make love, make others happy, make others miserable. Sadly too, we sometimes make enemies. However, thankfully, we do have it within us to make amends and to make up. Because this is how God intentionally made us.

Here’s the incredible truth: being made in the image of our Maker, WE are makers. God specifically designed us with a godlike capacity to create.

So, what will you make today? Will you make a meal, make a memory, or a piece of art? Will you make an effort to reach out to someone or listen to someone who might be hurting right now?

As you can see, the Bible reveals that we are makers and when we make up our minds to grab onto the opportunities that lie before us, we can make a difference!

Questions to Ponder

1. What kinds of things do you like to make?
2. do you agree that we humans are “natural born makers” because the ultimate Maker made us to resemble Himself? Why or why not?
3. What’s something you’d like to make in the future?