Freedom in Lent - Day 15

At the start of the book of Genesis, the first of the Creation myths (there are two, Chapter 1.1-2.3 and Chapter 2.4-3.24) has God saying 'Let us make humankind in our own image.' There's a lot of speculation about what being made in God's image might mean, and one reflection on this which particularly inspires me is that our very nature is meant to reflect God's creative nature. That we are co-creators with God. 

What might that mean? For me it means a responsibility, to steward this earth and care for the planet which God has given us - to continue to create conditions in which life can flourish, and the gifts of the earth are nurtured rather than exploited. This is the root of what it means, I believe, to be co-creators. 

When we truly recognize our connection to the land, that we are a part of creation and not a part of creation (the word 'human' shares a root with 'humus' - the dirt mulch which makes the earth fertile, and the creation myth calls the first human 'Adam' - a word related to 'dirt' in Hebrew) we may be inspired to see our part in the web of creation, and take seriously the stewardship of the Earth and our role in co-creating with God our beautiful 'Island home' as the Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada calls our planet.

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
So God created humankind in his image,
   in the image of God he created them;
   male and female he created them.

                                                                  Genesis 1.26-27