Waking Up in the Lord’s Likeness: El Shaddai Awakening

“I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” ~Psalm 17:15b

Waking Up in the Lord’s Likeness

What is the first thing you think about when you wake up? What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Ironically, sometimes when I wake up, I think about how tired I am despite just sleeping. Oftentimes, I think about looking forward to spending time with my wife later. If I do what I should, I’ll get up, have prayer time, exercise, and fix a healthy breakfast. If I’m feeling lazy, then I’ll put on the TV. But do I typically wake up feeling God’s presence and power on me? Uhhh…unfortunately, not. In this verse, David challenges us to only be satisfied when we awake in the Lord’s likeness; we should not be satisfied with anything less.

So, what does it mean to wake up in the Lord’s likeness? In the original Hebrew, the word ‘temunah’ is the same word used when God gives the Ten Commandments to Moses, specifically, “You shall not

make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Ex 20:4). God tells us we are to disregard man-made forms of adoration, longing, or fulfillment. These “created forms” are made to satisfy us on our most profound level of need. The only problem is if they are from us, meaning made by us, then they cannot fulfill us. Facing the mirror to give yourself a pep talk might work temporarily, but unless you have split-personality disorder, you know your source of inspiration is just yourself. You’re not reaching for sustainability from a higher power. And yes, that includes forms God has created, such as your spouse or parent. We cannot find completion in them.

David tells us what does last is putting on the likeness of the Lord. As Christians, that means dying to ourselves and literally taking on the mind and life of Christ as if it were our own life! The Israelites often called God El Shaddai, meaning “God Almighty.” Not almighty, like he’s a powerful champion in a wrestling match, but almighty in every area of life! If you want to stop waking up feeling diminished, then you need to start waking up in El Shaddai’s power—the power to transform and fully satisfy your life!

Always improve the present moment.