"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
Now that the storms are gone from England, a chill is still in the air. Yet, yesterday, I took a little bit of time with Joy who is visiting from Scotland, to romp around a lovely park nearby. As we walked, we observed hundreds of plants just ready to burst out with the happy yellow faces of daffodils so famous in these Oxford parts. I will be sure to show you some of the harvest here in the next week or two. And yes, oceans of bluebells just ringing out the amazing azure in a song of praise.
One of the best ways I can appeal to the yearnings for beauty and wonder that God has already placed in my and 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.
If you want to delight a little one or calm the hormones of a teen, take a spring walk in a wild area or park and decide to breathe in the beauty.
God will be waiting around the corner for you to show you something new of His beauty, color, love and goodness. 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.