So God created humans in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
What does God want?
In this past week we have seen the madness of war escalate. The actions of the governments of Israel and Iran are appalling. A hospital staffed by Jews, Arabs and Christians that treats all people, has been attacked. People are fleeing their homes in Iran. The risks to ordinary people face are too great to imagine. These actions, together with the continuing war in Gaza, and the situations being faced in Sudan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Ukraine and other places remind us that we do not live in a world of peace or justice.
The popular worship song, ‘Hosanna’, has the line directed towards God ‘break my heart for what break’s yours’. I wonder what we mean as we sing or say such words? What does break the heart of God?
The answer may, in part, be found in Genesis 1:27 – humanity is made in the image of God. The writer does not say ‘So God created some human beings….’, rather it is an unqualified affirmation about all humanity.
When people are killed in war, when lives are upturned, when food is withheld, when human rights are abused and people are treated with cruelty and without dignity – each one impacted is a person made in the image of God.
Human victims of war seem to be simply a side effect of war and reported in numbers. Each one has a name, family, hopes, dreams, spirituality and each is a person for whom Christ died.
What we are witnessing is truly shocking. War must end. Peace must reign. Our hearts must break. The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Rev Dr Jerry Pillay commented: “Ask as a people, ‘What does God want?’ and then ‘Move in that direction’”.
In our pain, despair and anguish, God is not dead and our prayers and advocacy for peace are an affirmation that God is alive, all people are of worth, and peace is possible.
Rev John Gilmore
NCCA President