“In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (CSB)
One of my favorite representations of this is in The Magician’s Nephew, written by C. S. Lewis.
Two friends, Digory and Polly, find themselves in another world. At first, this world is filled with darkness. Suddenly, they hear music. They look here and there, searching for its source, until they spot a great lion.
They soon realize that he is the source of this majestic song.
As the lion opens his great muzzle and continues to sing, the darkness gives way to light. Stars appear across the new sky, the landscape takes shape, and life begins to emerge. Digory and Polly find themselves witnessing the creation of a new world, with the lion as its creator.
Even Lewis’s writings are a testament to how we, too, were created with the ability to create. Whenever we use our abilities to create anything, we have an opportunity to reflect something of the creativity of our Creator. Genesis 1:26-27 says:
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”
We are image-bearers of God. That also means that our gifts come directly from Him. I obviously cannot sing a song and bring life into existence through it. I cannot make something out of nothing because I am not God. Yet, I can use the talents He has given me to make something. God created the world, then He created humans, and we create with the things that He has provided.
I don’t like running on a treadmill. I find it boring. Sometimes it is beneficial to run on one, but I avoid it like the plague. Any run feels faster outside than on a treadmill. Yet, the main reason I avoid the treadmill is that I find myself so much happier running in God’s creation. Though I usually run in the same spots, there is still so much to take in.
I call one of my regular spots my Sanctuary. It is the place where I learned how to run after my surgeries. It is the place where I do my devotions. If the weather permits, I open the trunk of my RAV4 and make myself comfortable, taking the time to stop and spend time with God in His creation before I start running. It is the place where I rest my heart and challenge my body.
Another reason I avoid the treadmill at the gym is that I probably look a little less crazy having heartfelt conversations with God or singing His praises as I run outside. Singing while running can be difficult at times, but it’s also a good way to monitor whether I’m running too fast on my easy runs. Having this time of fellowship with our Creator, surrounded by the beauty of His creation, while taking care of not only my body but also my mind and my heart, is such a powerful form of worship.
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”
– Romans 12:1 (CSB)
As we get closer to winter, I might not be a fan of it getting darker earlier, but I do look forward to the in-between parts. It’s the part where God takes out His paintbrush and uses the sky as His canvas. The colors are unmatched, and no matter how skilled another artist is, they truly cannot copy the beauty of God’s masterpiece. And when the moon trades places with the sun, the stars shine, revealing the vastness of God’s creation. I don’t care how many times I have seen a sun set or rise, I will always stand in awe of God’s beauty, power, glory, and creativity. Many times, I hear myself say, “God, look at your beauty!” I pray that I will never lose that awe and wonder.
I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to use my creativity to capture a sunset in a photograph, only to smile when I realize that even the picture cannot do the sky justice. This landscape is something only God could create.
“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1
Seeing the glory of God compels me to sing, to write, to crochet, to worship, to create. His creation is inspiring.
Did God just give us the ability to create simply so we could paint or draw the beauty of His creation? No, He also gave us the ability to make things that serve others and bring people together.
“Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its services, and for the holy garments. Both men and women came; all who had willing hearts brought brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry…
Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as a contribution to the Lord. Everyone who possessed acacia wood useful for any task in the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun yarn with her hands and brought it: blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts were moved spun the goat hair by virtue of their skill.
…So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring something for all the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.
Moses then said to the Israelites, ‘Look, the Lord has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He has filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs.’” – Exodus 35:21–22, 24–26, 29–35 (CSB, excerpts)
Our God, in His perfection, not only gave Bezalel and Oholiab the creativity to make beautiful things as they worked on the tabernacle, but He also equipped them with the ability to teach others how to use their own God-given gifts of creativity. Also, if you look through these verses, you should notice all the different skills that were listed.
We all have our own unique skills, given by God. Yet, I hear people say that they aren’t creative.
“But Casey, I don’t have a creative bone in my body. When I paint or draw, it looks like a child did it. If I try to play an instrument or sing… let’s just say, don’t give me a mic. No one wants to hear that. Or when I try to crochet a blanket, it somehow turns into an odd-looking beanie.”
Creativity is not limited to a paintbrush, a crochet hook, or an instrument.
Think about how you use your skills to solve a problem, communicate well in a business meeting, or train the new hire in a way that helps them retain the firehose of information coming their way. Consider how you think outside the box to serve others.
Someone can use their creativity to write devotions, design materials for a ministry, or create something that is used to encourage others. Another person could use their creative skills to make the church or home more welcoming, creating a hospitable environment for those they invite in.
My mind is blown by others who see numbers and are able to use their creativity to make a complete financial plan or system for a church or business.
All of this is a form of creativity. And it can be a reflection of our God’s own creativity.
“Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.” – 1 Peter 4:10 (CSB)
This verse is specifically talking about spiritual gifts, yet I believe that creativity can be one of the ways we use those gifts to serve others. There are many examples of this in Scripture, such as David and other psalmists who wrote songs for corporate worship. We have people who continue to do this even today. Others have the ability to paint wonderful masterpieces that encourage others to reflect on God’s creation. I know I have used my love of crocheting to make little bundles for a new mom. In doing so, I have an opportunity to show God’s love to the new mama and her baby by using my creativity to help meet some of their needs.
When I am thinking about all the different ways God has equipped each and every one of us, I am reminded that creativity isn’t about being more creative than someone else.
To those who feel like they can’t sing at all, Scripture encourages us to make a joyful noise to the Lord. He never said how it needed to sound. Just praise Him! Yes, I love to sing, but it doesn’t mean I should lead in worship, and I’m okay with that. This is where those who are more gifted in that area can step up and lead.
Also, to those who think that their drawings look like a child made them, remember that God calls us His children. So, there’s something beautiful about that, too.
Either way, this isn’t about impressing everyone around us.
It’s about recognizing what God has given us and considering how we can use it for His glory and the good of others. I can take the abilities God has entrusted to me and use them to create something that reflects His goodness, His glory, His love, and even His creativity.
Creating something, no matter what form it takes, is sweeter when we realize that our creativity can reflect an attribute that can also be found in God. It can be another form of worship!
So, let’s use those abilities to create and glorify Him in the process.
Selah: Take a moment to reflect on the gifts and abilities God has given you. Which of these do you feel you’re using creatively? If you can’t think of anything, consider going to a trusted friend or mentor. They might recognize gifts and abilities that you’ve overlooked. Perhaps you’ve been overlooking your own gifts and skills because they don’t match your original idea of creativity. What is something that you enjoy doing for yourself that you could use to serve someone else? How can you use the creative gifts and abilities God has given you to reflect the goodness and creativity of the One who created you?
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