More Than We Are Now

From Daily Readings by Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

June 6, 2026 · 2 min

About this episode

This episode explores the concept of original glory and the divine image in which humanity was created.

We all—men and women—were created in the image of God. Fearfully and wonderfully made, fashioned as living icons of the bravest, wisest, most stunning Person who ever lived. Those who have ever seen him fell to their knees without even thinking about it, as you find yourself breathless before the Grand Canyon or the Alps or the sea at dawn. That glory was shared with us; we were, in Chesterton’s phrase, “statues of God walking about in a Garden,” endowed with a strength and beauty all our own. All that we ever wished we could be, we were—and more. We were fully alive. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you have set in place — what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. (Psalms 8:3–5 NLT) I daresay we’ve heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman…

People in this episode

Host: John Eldredge

Topics covered

original glory
image of God
human nature
beauty and bravery
spiritual identity

Keywords

original glory
image of God
human nature
spirituality
Christianity
beauty
bravery

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Waking

Places: Garden, Grand Canyon, Alps, night sky, Psalms, Genesis