Devotions from Scott McKnight’s book, Embracing Grace

We were created in the image of God and our catechism says our chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy Him forever. Isn’t it something that we are the visible bodies that reflect the glory of God?   There has been a steady erosion of how we perceive ourselves as the glory of God’s creation to now being diminished by ideologies, laws and power plays.
Individualism is a big obstacle to the gospel of embracing grace. Yes, we are individuals but we are more than that as we are in relationship to God and to others. Individualism tells us we are on our own, and makes God and others commodities to further our own ends. It really diminishes who we are made to be. We can get so self-absorbed that we have a long list of entitlements. But we were made to relate to God and others in a perfect balance in which our individual integrity is protected.  . We are individuals but part of a larger community through which God is working. We are not perfect but are being transformed from one degree of glory to another and this will spread to all of our relationships. Can others see Christ in us?!