1. God created me with a unique relational capacity that makes it possible for me to love and be loved by Him.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

How does it make you feel to know that you possess unique ability and capacity to connect with others and create a bond and relationship, that will last for eternity?

How does it make you feel to know that you also possess a capacity to connect with Jesus and to create a relationship with Him that will last forever?

Why do you think God created humanity with this relational capacity?

What do you think about the idea that our relational capacity needs developing, that it is not complete or mature?

What separates humanity from the rest of the material universe is our ability to hold meaningful relationships with each other. In the biblical account of creation, after completing the creation of the natural world including plants and animals, God says, “let us make man in our own image” (Genesis 1:26 NIV). 

There are many aspects of what “the image of God” consists of. One important one is that humankind has the unique ability to hold loving relationships with each other. No other living creature seems to be able to experience this kind of relationship. And not only does humanity possess the capacity to hold relationships with each other, we also have the ability to participate in a relationship with our Creator. God delights in relationships. He enjoys relating to us and has created us with this unique capacity. God creates a soul each time an embryo is formed. And 

God gives each soul a unique relational capacity which enables us to connect with each other and with Him. Among all living creatures, only human beings are given souls. The word that best captures the purpose of human beings’ relational capacity is “love.” Only humankind has the potential to love and be loved. By creating us in His image, God chooses to enlarge His own relational capacity so that all of humanity, past, present and future, can share His love for us through this relationship. 

Although God’s love is always available to us, we must make an effort to develop our capacity to know and experience God. God’s desire for each person is that their lives on earth would be a journey of discovering their Creator and developing their relational capacity so they can enjoy God and participate in His love.