“We, as created beings, are mini-creators, little christs, ambassadors of God Himself.” Karl Abad touches upon our nature as God’s servants in his book, “Deep in the Shallow, Profound in the Superficial,” and our role in manifesting His benevolence and humility throughout our lives.
In his image and likeness
To serve God fully, we must first strive to understand and embody His divine nature. In Genesis 1:26-27, we learn that God has shaped us in His image and likeness, but we reflect more than just His physical image. We carry the essence of God’s nature within us. By bestowing us with rationality, wisdom, and empathy, He placed us on this Earth to extend His care to all His creations, protect the environment, and nurture God-loving communities.
Abad writes, “Because we have God’s image, we have a body for sacrifice and offering to God, and we have holiness for divinity from God.” Having “a body for sacrifice and offering” equips us to give back through acts of service and worship through devotion. God calls us to imbue positive change in everything we do, whether by helping others and the environment or offering our time and energy for causes we care about. Moreover, possessing “holiness for divinity from God” highlights the necessity of living in ways that align with God’s will and exemplify His divine characteristics, such as love, kindness, and righteousness.
Our Passion and service
Serving God encompasses more than just creating – it also requires sacrificing or giving up a part of ourselves for others. The life of Jesus represents this profound concept of self-sacrifice. As Abad highlights, “Jesus became flesh in order to impose suffering upon Himself… and for greatness to triumph.” Jesus’ willingness to endure suffering underscores the depth of His love for humanity and His determination to deliver us from sin. We should strive to embody this love in our lives – yet how do we do this?
Sacrifice doesn’t always mean hardship. It also means selflessness and compassion, such as reaching out to others and serving them without expecting anything in return. By seeking to make even the simplest, smallest actions profoundly impact others, we fulfill the sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated and ultimately bring us closer to God.
The ultimate service
Our acts of “sacrifice” shouldn’t just be an obligation but a way of expressing and communicating our closeness with God. We are blessed to have the ability to reach out to Him through worship and prayer, and we are even more blessed to have His will live through us. Throughout the book, Abad reminds us readers that remembering and ingraining this in our mind enables us to overcome sin and darkness and live in light’s path. Let us live out selflessness and positive change daily with each moment of service and act of faith. In doing so, we honor His image and live out our intended purpose – a passion and commitment to embodying His grace for all.
by Emery Sy