Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”   So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  – Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)

After creating man in God’s image he gave him “rule” over the fish of the sea.  This verse has been interpreted many ways, often by those with a power agenda about who should have power over what is in the earthly realm.  My view is that the “rule” that was granted mankind is no different than the “rule” God grants us over our own physical bodies.

We have free will to choose what we do with that “rule”.  We can abuse, ignore, or worship our bodies; or we can view them as a sacred vessel created by God to house our soul.  Just as all of creation is in a sense the “house” of God’s spirit on earth.  We are free to abuse his creation but that is not God’s plan for it.

Prayer: God I give you complete control over my body and I commit to ruling over the parts of creation over which you have given me dominion with grace and love as a servant leader.