"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20
We cannot know God well if we do not understand Him as an artist with a creative heart. And because we are like Him, we are made to create, to design, to become artists in our own lives.
When I engaged my children in creative pursuits, they became especially satisfied that they were able, out of their own brains and experience, to create their own life work of art.
One of the best ways I can appeal to the yearnings for beauty, creativity and wonder that God has already placed in my children's hearts is to expose them to the many facets of God's artistry as expressed in what he made. The sheer splendor of his creation, from the tiniest plankton to the biggest whale, from microscopic crystals to soaring mountains, calls to the deepest part of our human nature. The beauty of the environment God designed for us to live in has the power to move us to tears and gives us a sense of joy and appreciation of life.
All of this God created for us to experience so that we could enjoy more fully the life that he prepared for us to know. He did not intend for these things to bring us fulfillment in themselves but to point beyond, to the Artist himself, in order to affirm his magnificence, his power, and his kindness and generosity in making our lives so full. He gave us a richly created world to help us know him better.
Creativity, after all, is one of the essential expressions of God's personality. He is the Master Designer who has the power to make something out of nothing and something fresh and new out of the ruins of something old. His inventiveness knows no boundaries. The beauty of his handiwork is unparalleled. His creativity is awesome and powerful as well as unbelievably beautiful—he is the God of exploding volcanoes and awe-inspiring storms as well as rainbows and sunsets. Even his means of creation are creative, for sometimes he creates directly and sometimes he lends his creative powers to his children and delights in their inventiveness.
When is the last time you were impressed by the inventiveness and creativity of God? Do some research and find a new place you might explore.
This week, plan to include creativity in your own routines. Paint, cook, garden, build, compose, act out a scene, gather wildflowers, or do something that satisfies our own soul need to be involved in making your own work of art with your loved ones.
