We sing songs. We draw, paint, and sculpt. Have you ever asked yourself why?
There are many ways in which a person can be creative… but where does it come from and why is it important to God and the church?
Below we will discuss “why” we create.
- God created.
The first reason we as Believers should be striving to create marvelous things for the Lord takes us all the way back to the beginning.
Genesis 1:1 says,
In the beginning, God created…
The creation story that we are all familiar with found in Genesis continues in 1:27 to say,
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
We ourselves were created! God was, and is, the first ever creator and being made in His image we also should be striving to create! When I think about God as the first Creator and myself attempting to be more like Him then I am automatically pushed to constantly be striving to create with Biblical excellence that reflects the attributes and likeness of God. It is amazing to me that we can often fall into the trap of creating very mediocre things within the church and slapping the “Christian” label on them and calling them done.
As Believers our handiwork should be more than mediocre! In fact, we should be the BEST creators because we serve the best creator!
Psalm 104:24 says,
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Psalm 19:1 says,
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
The vast expanse of the universe was created by a God who loves to create. The cells in our bodies that we can’t even see were created by a God who loves to create. God went above and beyond as a Creator and because of that so should we.
- It is part of our mandate.
Genesis 1:26-27 says,
Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them.
Are you aware of the fact that you have been given dominion over the rest of creation? As creators that should overwhelm us with excitement because “the sky is the limit!” We have dominion over the things we create!
We know that for each person the way we create is different. Some of us may be musicians, writers, painters, chefs, inventors, skilled in design, etc. Some of us also are creative in the way we accomplish jobs, communicate with people of all ages, or view situations and scenarios. Regardless of our method and creative medium the call is still the same. Romans 12:6 says,
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…
Ultimately we aren’t using our God-given creativity for ourselves. It is for Him alone.
Colossians 3:23 says,
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…
- It is part of what we were made to do.
Let’s think about it… from the time we are born, there is a part of us that longs to create. A child loves to scribble, paint, and mold playdoh. When music is turned on it is natural for us to want to tap our feet, wiggle a little, and sing along.
A friend of mine named Will Croushorn has said,
While not every one of us will be the next Picasso or Vincent Van Gogh, every one of us has been given a gift to create and to imagine which can be used to share the greatest story ever told.
In fact, the first “paid” artisans worked for the church! Do you think it is a mere coincidence that some of the first people paid to create served God and His people? I say that to point out the fact that ultimately our God-given natural creativity was given to us for the glory of God, and the enjoyment of His people.
When a child paints a picture the first thing a parent does is hang it on the fridge. It doesn’t matter if the painting is realistic, technically precise, or if it is nothing but a splatter! A parent still delights in their child’s work. I personally like to imagine our Father in Heaven delighting in our “paintings.”
I love the idea that: God provided us with creativity for Himself.
God enjoys creating and creation. That is evident in the majestic and over-the-top way in which He created all that we see, and even the things that we aren’t aware of. In the beginning we see God enjoying creation when He walks through the Garden.
Genesis 3:8 tells us exactly that,
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
God walked through the Garden and enjoyed it! We know that because He is God… He could appear right where He wanted to, but instead He took a stroll through His handiwork and enjoyed what He had done. It even says that God came to the Garden in the cool of the day. AS someone who loves being outside hiking or exploring I like to think of God just strolling down a path through the Garden listening to the birds chirping and touching the plants along the way. God enjoyed creating and enjoyed His creation.
In the same way that God created and enjoyed His creation we can create… and all of our projects and efforts ultimately speak to who He made us to be!
- To communicate the Gospel, and the greatness of our God.
If someone has ever questioned the authenticity of visual art as a crucial part of Christian worship, all they need to do is consider the priority our Lord placed on beauty when He made this world. Aesthetically there is nothing that can top God’s original creation! Clearly, God’s creative handiwork is intentional, God purposefully made what we see around and above us to be more than just functional. He designed all of nature so that it would point us back to Him.
Psalm 104:24 says,
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Psalm 139:14 says,
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
David as a shepherd spent many nights outside tending his flock and he probably wrote Psalm 19 as he lay on his back staring up at the stars. Psalm 19:1 says,
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
As creative people our creation ultimately displays and communicates God’s greatness and power. Every work of art, each scribble on a page, and every theatrical production that is staged is in some way telling the story of God and the gospel.
We all recognize that art has a way of communicating feelings and emotions that cannot be verbalized. Paul tells us in Romans 1:19-20 that,
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Think about this amazing truth – what we can know about God is already made known to us through His creation! Through the work of Christ, we can know God, truly and intimately, here and now. When we spend our time studying science, creating art, understanding how the universe works, we have an opportunity to learn little by little about the God who created each of those things. Through His creation, God reveals His attributes, His personality, His characteristics, His greatness, and His power. When we in turn create we can display this story for others as well.
- To serve.
Last… but definitely not least, we each have roles to play in this family of believers. The “creative” folk among us need to feel a freedom to create and inspire because in that, they are serving the body of Christ with the gift they have been given.
Our creativity isn’t just for ourselves, and our enjoyment, but it is meant to be shared with others.
There are many creative opportunities within the local body and when there aren’t then we should “create” some! Every church should have creative people inside it purposefully creating and “telling the story” of the first Creator through their handiwork. Those who don’t understand the need or importance of creativity obviously don’t understand whom it comes from and the value creativity holds.
Let’s challenge ourselves to create for a higher purpose! Let’s allow our handiwork to reflect the handiwork of the ultimate and best Creator.
Tanner Royalty 