God created man in His image. And some how along the way we forgot what we are supposed to look like. Sin has influenced mankind causing the divine nature in each one of us to be suppressed. The divine nature is that part of each person that still bears the image and ideals of God. It is that part of us that is still as we were intended to be apart from sin's corrosive effects.
I believe that finding the divine spark in each individual and cultural holds the key to spreading the glory of God. It is that place where people feel most alive and free from fear, guilt and shame. While sin has corrupted every person, we are not completely devoid of good. God made us to be good, but we fall way short of His glory on our own efforts.
How does one identify the divine spark? Well it can be a part of the person's culture, family heritage or personality. It can be a value that they hold or a skill that they possess. When you get right down to it, the divine spark is what lets you know that you are truly alive. The divine spark is that thing of substance that you have found amid a sea of superfluous stuff.
The divine spark could be sharing the love of God the Father to a man who has children. It could be presenting God as the Lord of the Sabbath to a culture that values rest and relaxation. The divine spark could be identifying Jesus as the determined revolutionary to a group of young idealists. It could be showing God's mercy to a wayward son. Or it could be discovering God as a servant to someone who feels like no one ever waits on them. Maybe it could be seeing God as a creative genius for those who look at the world from an artist's perspective. Or it could even be hearing about Jesus as the peace child for someone who grows up in a land full of strife and war. Or maybe we present Jesus as an extreme risk taker to someone who loves the rush of snowboarding, mountain climbing or skydiving. It's all about finding how your passion meets the only true passion.
Just as God connects with each person in the Bible and their personal story, God does the same thing today. His Word reveals to us how God met people where they were at in order to take them to where they really wanted to be. As people began to really meet God they truly discovered themselves.
Unfortunately, we too often have skewed vision of God. But when we meet the real thing, we come to understand that God knows us completely and loves us perfectly.
As I look inward, I see God's grand design. I see how I bear His image. I'm only a copy. I can never compare to the original. I can never be God. But I am supposed to be like Him in character and purpose.
What is it within you that resonates with the divine? When are those moments, things or thoughts that make you feel most alive? When do you do something that feels like it is what you were made for? These questions can help you discover the pathway to discovering the divine nature in you. No matter which road you take, all paths eventually point to Jesus because there is no other name by which men can be saved.
