In His Image

The September 2025 issue of Christianity Today included an article by John Swinton titled, “It Was ‘Good’ Not Perfect,” on how the church views disability. He makes the statement:

Some of our errors in theology around disability stem from a reading of the Genesis creation narrative that idealizes Adam and Eve as perfect examples of human beings. The implication is that there was not disability in the Garden of Eden and therefore disability must have arisen after the Fall… While Eden was originally untainted by sin, the Bible does not suggest that creation was perfect in the sense of flawlessness or static idealism.

Instead, the divine pronouncement is that the creation is good (tov in Hebrew). This word, in its biblical and theological context, does not imply perfection or uniformity but denotes relational integrity, aesthetic richness, diversity, and the capacity for fruitful, dynamic life and connection.

While I agree with many of his points in the article, in particular the definition of the imago Dei as a relational concept and not mental or physical abilities, I struggle with some of his ideas. By his interpretation, even if Adam and Eve had not sinned by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there would still be people who live with cerebral palsy (the example he used to start the article) and other mental and physical illnesses, disabilities, and diseases. Toward the end, Swinton does note:

Many forms of disability are not experienced as benign differences and should not be idealized… Suffering is real. And for some, it is relentless. Yet we are not without hope: In the new heavens and new earth, Christ will wipe away every tear, and mourning, crying, and pain will cease (Rev. 21:4). But this does not mean that disabled bodies fall outside the scope of creation’s goodness. All human lives bear the imprint of fragility; every body carries its own marks of limitation and vulnerability.

It is certainly true that God created a wide variety of people with differing gifts and abilities, and some of those may be things that some people would consider disabilities. (Consider books like Neurodivergent Genius by Ralph Rickenbach.) And in the new creation there may be variations among people that we don’t expect to see, which is indicative of our limited understanding of Creation and of science in general.

But the Fall did have profound impacts on all areas of life—physical, mental, relational, and of course spiritual. When it comes to disability and suffering, we must rely on God’s sovereignty. We can turn to Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” And in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

God can and will use all sorts of people and circumstances for His purposes; therefore, we can take heart when life seems harder than we think it ought to. Our limitations do not erase God’s image from us or prevent God from working in and through us. Accepting our limitations does not preclude a desire for something different or better. We can be content with who we are in this life and yet still long for the Day when all will be made truly perfect.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8: 18, 22-23).

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Here are a couple related articles to ponder:

https://www.andrewcorbett.net/articles/theology/was-the-original-creation-perfect/

https://crossexamined.org/was-gods-original-creation-perfect/

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Higher Ground

Recently in an office meeting icebreaker, we were asked what our favorite old hymn is. I shared that since I was about 4 years old my favorite has been “Higher Ground,” but I wasn’t sure why. That was the song I always wanted my mom to request during hymn sings, though I was too shy to request it myself.

As I’ve thought about it since then, I have a few ideas why it appeals to me. One influence is that I’ve always liked heights. I’ve been told that I would climb up on the back of the couch before I could even walk much. I enjoyed riding on my dad’s shoulders when I was little. I’ve spent many hours in trees (though not so much in recent years), and now after I clean out my gutters I like to hang out on the roof for a while. I would far rather spend my vacation hiking in the mountains than anywhere else. A favorite memory from college was visiting the Alps on two occasions. So even before I had much understanding of faith and theology, I liked the idea of being lifted up to a higher plane.

These days I resonate with the thought of life’s journey going through hills and mountains, and I want to find myself maturing and gaining ground over time. “My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay,” though I know that is a normal part of this life. There is great comfort in knowing that the trials of life will one day come to an end. There’s also great assurance in remembering that God is the One who leads us on through the whole way. As David wrote in Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled down, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand” (NASB). And God will complete the work He has begun in us (Phil. 1:6).

Though I don’t know for sure, I suspect the author, Johnson Oatman, was inspired in part by Psalm 121:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber… The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (vv. 1-3, 8).

We look up to the massive mountains and remember that the One who created them is not only more powerful, but He is intimately involved in our lives every day. Nothing escapes His notice or care.

I’m reminded also of the end of the Chronicles of Narnia where they enter the new Narnia and learn,

“‘The further up and the further in you go, the bigger everything gets. The inside is larger than the outside’… But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before” (The Last Battle, 180, 184).

One day we’ll get to enjoy that new reality in the presence of our Creator, Lord, and Savior. Until then we follow the path laid out for us by our Shepherd and Friend. I had to pause while writing this in order to watch the livestreamed funeral of a young woman who’d battled cancer for many years. Her life was a testimony of pressing on in faith, and through her funeral “faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground.”

I want to scale the utmost height

and catch a gleam of glory bright;

but still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,

“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up and let me stand

by faith on heaven’s table-land;

A higher plane than I have found—

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13b-14).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

What Do You Long For?

I’ve been spending an extended time in Psalm 119 as I’m reading Charles Spurgeon’s Daily Treasury from the Psalms. It can be tempting to speed through the 176 verses to check off one more psalm, but there are things worth stopping to ponder along the way. Consider these few verses:

40- Behold, I long for Your precepts; in Your righteousness give me life!

81-82- My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes long for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

123- My eyes long for Your salvation and for the fulfillment of Your righteous promise.

131- I open my mouth and pant, because I long for Your commandments.

174- I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.

The original Hebrew uses a few different words that are translated as “long for” in the ESV. Some other translations use “faint” or “fail” in verses 81-82. In any case, the idea is a strong desire and need. I suspect most of us don’t long for God’s commandments and precepts like this.

However, if we include all of the promises and truths of Scripture, I would hope that every Christian desires and relies on them. The Bible is our source of hope for every aspect of salvation, sanctification, and the glory that is to come, because in it we see how God works all things together for the fulfillment of His promises. Spurgeon notes:

“This is an intense longing that is not satisfied to express itself with the lips but speaks with the eyes. Eyes can speak eloquently; they sometimes say more than tongues… Especially are our eyes eloquent when they begin to fail with weariness and woe… and so heaven shall be taken by storm with the artillery of tears.”

While we endure through this life, there are many times for tears—conflict between factions, relational challenges, struggles with sin, unmet needs, illness, weakness, death. We may weep with the desire to see God bring swift resolution.

The older I get, the more I long for the final consummation of God’s plan of redemption. As we’ve been reminded recently, no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return, but we look forward to the end of the craziness of this life and the beginning of a perfect eternity. For many people that Day will come unexpectedly and will be filled with great fear and anguish. But for many others around the globe it will bring great rejoicing, for our longings will finally be fulfilled when we see Christ.

“But in accordance with His promise we expectantly await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:13 Amp).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Enduring Love

I was thinking this morning of Psalm 136 and the reminder to “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever” (v. 1). When you read through the whole psalm, it is tempting to skim over the repeated refrain “for His steadfast love endures forever” as the author recounts the exodus from Egypt. But that refrain may actually be the part we need to remember most. God’s steadfast love really does endure forever.

On this particular day we remember the events of 9/11, and we also are saddened by the news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We live in a sinful and broken world, and yet God’s steadfast love endures forever.

A child wanders off and dies. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Another family adopts a child. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

One person lives decades with chronic illness. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Another person dies at a young age. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Some nations are perpetual battlegrounds. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Some nations enjoy centuries of peace. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

When we are on the mountaintop, God’s steadfast love endures forever.

When we are in the deepest valleys, God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Michael Card wrote about Romans 5, “If we dared to be honest with Paul or ourselves or God, we might mutter that we were hoping for a little more than just hope as we huddle in our worn-out, earthly, cancer-ridden, death impregnated tents. But as he so often does, Paul anticipates our response. “Hope does not disappoint us,” he counters, because God has poured something into these hearts that beat so feebly behind the worn-out flaps of our earthly tent. He has poured His love into them through His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)” (The Hidden Face of God, ch. 26).

No matter what happens in our lives or in the world around us, God’s love never changes. That is what we hold onto and gives us comfort and hope when things go wrong. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” (Ps. 125:1). God’s love helps us to endure the hard times and to keep faith when we don’t understand. Let us cling to Him as firmly as He holds onto us.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word” (2 Thess. 2:16-17).

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” (Ps. 118:1).

© 2025 Text and image Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Right Empathy

If you spend much time in the Christian blogosphere, you probably have seen some reference to the “sin of empathy.” There have been a number of books and podcasts on the subject. The main issue seems to be the variety of conflicting definitions of what empathy actually is. Ed Welch stated, “Empathy is the ability to step into someone’s world in a way that the person feels understood. It is not approval of that world, but it is an understanding of it.”

Rather than wading into the debates, I want to focus on what Scripture says, and there is no better place to start than the two greatest commandments as declared by Jesus:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40).

Whatever we do or say is to be rooted in God’s love for us, and should reflect the example of Jesus Christ as He chose to live among sinful humanity. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). He came to live in the flesh and experienced the worst of mankind, yet He was described as being full of both grace and truth. His love was revealed in His choice to die for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8). And now He intercedes for us as one who has been where we are. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

While He ministered here on earth, He had compassion for those who were sick and hurting, but He was not afraid to call out sin and urge people to repent and change. After He healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He told him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, than nothing worse may happen to you” (John 5:14, see also 8:11). When the rich young man came up to Him, Jesus looked at him with love and told him to go sell all that he had and then follow Him. This was not a challenge the man would accept (Mark 10:21-22). For Jesus, loving others meant helping them to see their true needs rather than leaving them in whatever sin or lifestyle they found comfortable.

So too are we to love others by exercising both grace and truth. “Love is patient and kind… it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4-7). We are not meant to bury the truth of God’s Word in an effort to make others feel more accepted. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ… Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Eph. 4:15, 25).

False empathy says, “I understand why you feel the way you do, and so I support you in whatever choices you make.” But true empathy says, “I understand where you’re coming from, but I love you too much to let you stay on a path that leads to eternal destruction.” It is far easier to affirm others than to correct or confront sin. There are different factors in every relationship, and we won’t always get it right. We all need great wisdom in relating to those we love, and who better to ask than the One who became flesh and exemplified perfect grace and perfect truth?

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

When You Don't Feel

Scrolling through some old podcasts, I found some from 2023 with Brant Hansen on Family Life Today. He made the comment that our culture places far too much emphasis on feelings, and noted that if there is no absolute truth, then all you have left are feelings. The unwritten rule is “If it feels good, do it!” Even in the church we can go astray when we place more emphasis on our “experience” of God and faith than we do our beliefs. As Paul said in Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” The Bible never says, “If you feel saved” or “You should feel God’s love for you.” If we imply that the assurance of salvation is something we must feel, then a whole lot of people have reason to question their faith.

In that set of podcasts, Brant and host Dave Wilson both share that they don’t seem to experience their faith the way some other people do. I’d say I’m probably pretty similar to them. I usually don’t feel anything in particular in times of worship, Bible study, or prayer (unless I happen to be in a time of deeper depression that makes me teary). Sometimes I will get choked up when someone shares a testimony, though that’s rare. And the only couple times I know God has spoken to me were when I knew I had to do something I didn’t want to do, like repent! So if I were depending on my experiences to define my faith, I’d definitely feel like I was missing something.

Some people are more reactive to certain stimuli, and they may regularly find church to be a very moving experience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their faith is stronger. Some people can be manipulated by the style of music, but they may or may not have a good knowledge of the Bible or what it means to trust God.

Feelings are not always based on facts, and can change with time or circumstances. When feelings diminish or are missing altogether, faith must say “I know this to be true whether I feel it or not.” That is reflected in many of the people listed in Hebrews 11. They obeyed by faith even when they didn’t understand all the details or sense immediate rewards for their actions.

It is repeated several times in Scripture that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (e.g. Rom. 4). It is belief that matters, not “feel good” experiences. How many people go to the altar repeatedly because they no longer feel saved? And how many others are relying on some experience they had in the past even though their lives give no evidence of obedience to Christ?

I’m reminded of a chorus that became popular in the 1970s that never made much sense to me, “Sure the presence of the Lord is in this place, I can feel His might power and His grace…” Maybe some people do have that experience in worship, but not me. I don’t think we should presume something is normative when Scripture doesn’t make it so. There weren’t a lot of people in the Bible who had direct experiences of God’s presence, and those who did usually ended up bowing down in fear (e.g. Ex. 3:5-6; Is. 6:5; Acts 9:4).

If we always felt God’s love, we wouldn’t worry so much about whether other people love us or approve of us. If we always sensed God’s presence, we wouldn’t really need faith. And if such experiences were universal, our churches would be full because no one would have reason to doubt. But since we can’t rely on our feelings and senses to “prove” God’s existence, we have to decide if we’re going to trust that what the Bible says is true and keep walking by faith.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen [or experienced]” (11:1).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

One in Christ

I spent last week at the Appalachian regional family camp for my denomination, which I’ve been attending for a dozen years or so. I was struck by how this particular camp reflected what the body of Christ is supposed to be. Aside from the usual hugs and laughter, we united in prayer for a couple people facing serious medical issues and others who have lost loved ones. There was a lot of encouragement, remembering, worship, and pointing one another to the truths of Scripture and who God is. The week ended with the regional delegate meeting where there was the potential for divisiveness, but that was averted through a lot of prayer and remembering that we are in this work together.

Whether it is among denominations, regions, churches, or our individual lives, we can be quick to forget that we are one body. We often feel isolated, and we think we have to take matters into our own hands to get anything done. In Ephesians 4, Paul is emphatic:

“Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body… [gifted by God] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith…” (1-4, 12-13).

When we truly believe that we are one in Christ, we are more likely to pursue His will through prayer, rather than setting our own agendas. We will be more concerned to “look not only to [our] own interest, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 24). We can seek to understand where others are coming from, rather than making assumptions.

On the individual level, being part of the body of Christ is a reminder that we are not meant to live in isolation or to keep all our problems and worries secret. Henri Nouwen wrote in The Inner Voice of Love:

“Your journey is made not just for yourself but for all who belong to the body… The journey you are choosing is Jesus’ journey, and whether or not you are fully aware of it, you are also asking your brothers and sisters to follow you… Your choices also call your friends to make new choices” (50).

As members of one body, we come together to share our heartaches, joys, struggles, and join in the work set before us all. We encourage one another (1 Thess. 4:18), pray for one another (James 5:16), equip one another (Eph. 4:12), and spur one another on to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). Family camp happens to be a good example of extended quality time together, but these things should also be occurring on a regular basis through local churches and small groups. We were never meant to go through this life alone.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Cor. 12:26-27).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan text and photo from AACA campground in 2020. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.