The Imagination of God
Scripture — Genesis 1:26-27 (NRSV)
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.
Focus
Though we may not often think in this way, Scripture shows us the imagination of God. We see this clearly in creation. God “sees” what ought to be created and then “creates” in light of this vision. God’s unique imagination fills the pages of Scripture, encouraging us to see God in a new way.
This devotion is part of the series, Imagination: Redeemed and Redemptive.
Devotion
Does God have an imagination? Questions like this intrigue me. But I also feel a measure of trepidation when I try to answer them. After all, one of the truest things we can say about God is that God exceeds our ability to understand fully who God is. Moreover, human beings have a way of projecting onto God whatever they would like God to be like. Aware of my own tendency to do this, I nevertheless believe that the God who is revealed to us in the Word Written and the Word Incarnate does indeed have an imagination.
In yesterday’s devotion, I showed how Jesus used his imagination in his teaching, mainly but not only in his parables. If, as I believe, Jesus is the Word Incarnate, God in human flesh, then the fact that Jesus had an imagination suggests an affirmative answer to the question “Does God have an imagination?”
Further support for this answer comes from the first chapter of the Bible. There, as God is creating the universe – which we could see as the ultimate expression of imagination – we come upon the creation of human beings. Here’s how the story is told:
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).
Surely this suggests that God has an imagination. Earlier in this devotional series, I referred to Merriam-Webster’s definition of “imagination” as “the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.” That pretty much describes what God was doing in Genesis 1:26. God “saw” what did not yet exist, namely beings who reflect God’s own image and likeness. Then, in light of that vision, God “created humankind in his image” (1:27). The way Genesis 1 tells the story reminds us of an artist who imagines a painting and then paints what had been imagined.
Matthew Ristuccia and Gene Veith, Jr., authors of Imagination Redeemed, summarize their book in an article entitled “10 Things You Should Know About the Imagination.” Their third “thing” states:
Imagination is a facet of the image of God. The human imagination is not only a great gift of God; it is also an aspect of the image of God. His creative imagination is such that he created the universe from nothing. His mind perceives the past, the present, and the future.
If the imagination is the act of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses, then God’s imagination is revealed, not only in the first chapter of the Bible but in hundreds that follow. Consider, for example, the prophetic visions found in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other prophets. God “sees” what is coming in the future even though it doesn’t yet exist. Often God’s visions are filled with brilliant colors, strange beasts, and puzzling symbols, which reveal the unique power and freedom of the divine imagination.
In tomorrow’s devotion, I’ll consider further the implications of Genesis 1:26-27 for our understanding of the imagination. For now, I’d encourage you to reflect on the imagination of God as revealed in Scripture, first of all, and then in nature.
Reflect
What does the biblical revelation of God’s imagination stir up in you? What thoughts? What feelings? What longings?
When you think of the natural world as a reflection of God’s imagination, what parts of this world reveal God to you most fully or meaningfully?
If we have been created in the image and likeness of God, what might that imply about our imaginations?
Act
Set aside some time to thank and praise God for the fact and expression of God’s imagination.
Pray
Gracious God, let me say at the outset that my knowledge of you is incomplete and, I’m sure, wrong in places. Yet you have graciously made yourself known to me. What a gift!
As I consider your imagination, Lord, I am struck by how vast, deep, and unfathomable you are. You see all things, past, present, and future. You see what exists and what does not exist. I cannot begin to fathom how your imagination works.
Yet I have seen, Lord, reflections of your imagination in your creation, especially in your creation of human beings. Thank you for giving me glimpses of who you are. Thank you for the fact that your imagination is saturated with grace and love. So amazing! Amen.
Banner image by Beth Jnr on Unsplash.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project’s online commentary. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: God Works Relationally (Genesis 1:26a).
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Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...