You Were Created to Create

Every morning, first thing after I get up, I go out and fill my bird feeders. Then I get my coffee, go to my den and read and write a while before I have breakfast. While I’m sitting at the breakfast table I watch the birds as they have their breakfast. A large bay window and double patio doors provide wonderful vistas for me to view my birds. One morning last week I watched four male  and two females cardinals, two blue birds, a yellow finch, two robins, and several cute little chickadees. As always there were a slew of doves around as well as those pesky mockingbirds. I could spend hours watching those beautiful creatures, God’s magnificent creations.

One of the greatest attributes of God is his creative work. The first sentence in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created…” He created the heavens and the earth and everything in the earth. But the greatest of his creative work was man. The man and woman were very special. God said, “Let us make man in our image.” So man was made in God's image. God created man to be like him, not to be gods, but like God. Man was created to love, to have compassion, to care for others, to have fellowship with God and I believe to use his talents and abilities to create. I think each of us have within us the desire to create. We are image bearers of God.  Being creative is part of doing just that.

I am blessed by the creativity of those who through painting or their  talent in photography share their paintings or photos of those colorful red birds I mentioned, the amazing varieties of wildlife and those pretty scenes of nature. I pleasingly listen to those who sing so beautifully, or play their musical instruments, and I watch in amazement at the individuals who can make furniture or build houses, realizing that it was God who gave them their creative talent. Some may not think they are very creative, but what about the ones who can prepare a delicious meal, or make beautiful clothes. What about those who can fix a broken down automobile, repair a damaged heart, landscape a yard, or successfully produce crops year after year. All of these are examples of men and women using their talents to create. The examples of man’s creative abilities are endless

The Bible says, “Whatever we do in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God.” Whatever creative talent we have we are to work at it with all our might to bring glory to our Father. I heard a sermon last week in which the speaker mentioned a critique given about the work of a man whose paintings were of old western scenes. It was said of the painter that his technique and the spiritual insight of his paintings showed that God wore cowboy boots. I hope to show that God knows how to create with a pen, others show that he is not afraid to get grease on his hands, that he gets sawdust in his pants cuffs, flower on his face and dirt between his toes. I think we allow God do what he perhaps likes best when we use our talents. He creates through us so that we can help and bless and please each other.

We are image bearers of God. We were made to create for his glory. We must create. If you can write poetry then do it. If you can sing then sing with all your might. If you are good at baking a pie or a cake do it with delight to bless someone who might need a friend. If you can create a smile on someone’s face then use your wonderful personality to fill the world with smiles. Create something positive for your Father.