So God created man in his own image

     in the image of God he created them;

     male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. - Genesis 1:27-28

This upcoming Sunday is Trinity Sunday. On this day, we celebrate the reality that we worship and serve one God in three persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is one of the doctrines that was determined by the early ecumenical councils and set forth in the ecumenical creeds. It is held by all the main branches of the church. The Westminster Confession of Faith states it thusly:  In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally exist in relationship with one another. Their communion is marked by love and mutuality. It is a hallmark of their on-going interaction. Creation and redemption flow out of this relationship. And it marks us as human beings.

Genesis 1 makes it clear that what distinguishes mankind from the rest of creation is their being created in God’s image. Now there are some attributes of God that we as humans do not have. These are called incommunicable and include omnipotence, omniscience, and aseity. There are others called communicable, which are attributes we reflect, however dimly and to a lesser degree. Love, kindness, and joy would be examples.

Part of how we reflect the Triune nature of God is in the fact that we are relational beings. We were not meant to be alone or completely independent. God makes that clear in Genesis 2 when he states that it is not good for man to be alone and thus creates out of man, one who will be his companion. We were meant to be in relationship with others. And though some of us need more “alone time” than others, we grow concerned if someone is alone all the time.

And of even greater wonder is that we are able to have a relationship with God. Before the Fall, the man and woman enjoyed sweet communion with Him. Sin brought all kinds of devastation but one of the most significant was the consequence of not only loss of relationship with God but also loss of desire for such relationship. In sending the Son to redeem us, one of the many blessings is that we have peace with God, which means a renewed communion. Our hope for eternity is to bask in the glory of that communion with God and with one another forever.

So, saints, let us prioritize relationships. First and foremost, do so in your relationship with God. Next, think through the relationships on the human level that are most important to you. This would certainly include your spouse, children, long-time friends, and church family members. And then think through your relationship with those who don’t follow Jesus. They are still bearers of God’s image and thus are worthy of and desperately need such connection. Prioritize these relationships with your time, energy, and care. In doing so, you will fulfill your calling as an image bearer of God as well as being both the source and recipient of joy and encouragement to and from others.