Are You the Creative Type?
Are you creative? For many of us, creativity seems like some elusive gift, reserved for artists, musicians or those with amazing posts on Pinterest.
The Bible has a lot to say about creativity. You don’t have to venture very far into Scripture before the subject appears. In Genesis 1, we learn something about the nature of God that is often overlooked: He’s creative! In fact, it’s the very first thing that we learn about God. You are probably familiar with the opening verse of the Bible: “
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
.” (Genesis 1:1) God is telling us something important about Himself. He is creative. We might even say that He is an artist.
As God’s image bearers, we too are creative. While most of us might not be concert pianists or be able to replicate a Bob Ross painting, the creative impulse resides deeply within us nonetheless. Creativity looks different for different people. For some of us, creative expression might take the form of cooking a delicious meal, planting flowers in our garden, writing a thoughtful note to a friend or rearranging the furniture in our home. Each time we use our imagination and create something beautiful, we give the world a glimpse of our Creator and offer a way to commune with the divine.
However, not only are we given the ability to create beautiful things, God also wants us to enjoy what He has created. No less than seven times in Genesis 1, God stands back and looks at His creation and declares “
that it was good
.” And, at the end of the chapter, He looks upon the entirety of His work one last time and says, “
It is very good.
” (v.31) Not only is God an artist, but we might also say that He’s an art critic of sorts, in the sense that He evaluates and shows appreciation for His art.
The beauty of God’s art is all-around us. Jesus reminds us of this when He says, “
Consider the lilies of the field...even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these
.” (Matthew 6:28
–
29). There are countless ways for us to enjoy this beauty. When we pause to consider the pastels which He paints into each sunset, or when we listen to music of a thunderstorm or the sweet song of a morning wren, we are given an opportunity to commune with God Himself.
Life has slowed down for many of us this spring. Whether it’s stopping to take notice of the beauty that is all-around us or taking the time to use your own artistic gifts, I invite you to ponder how God might be calling you to embrace His creativity as it is woven into His world.
The Rev. Alex D. Graham III
Associate for Children and Family Ministries
