Since the beginning of human history, people have been creating in groups — first in families and then in villages and societies. One of my favorite things to do is to watch creativity unfold [in my kids, in my family and through my co-workers]. In fact, this unfolding creativity makes me feel closer to God.
God creates because it is good, and God created a co-creator (Genesis 1–2). I close my eyes and imagine Adam naming God’s creation (Genesis 2), and I get a little emotional. Through our imaginings, we operate as co-creators with God, echoing His creative capacity in miniature.
Consider creation a spiritual practice to achieve our goal to be closer to God. Whenever we create anything, we mirror His creation of all that there is. Our creative acts are beautiful to Him. Creativity is a privilege given to us. Our role as participants with God is so often overlooked, and this role plays such a key factor in any biblical understanding of kingdom on earth.
Biblical Examples
As FreeMo Journal Editor David McDonald has previously detailed in a blog post on the theology of beauty (fmchr.ch/dmbeauty), the Bible includes examples of God instructing us to create and demonstrating beautiful acts of creation in collaboration with Him:
- God instructs the people to build the tabernacle and make it beautiful (Exodus 24–28).
- God inspires Bezalel and Oholiab to be extraordinary craftsmen who are gifted in making beautiful things (Exodus 31).
- God uses Esther’s beauty for His work (Esther 1–10).
- Love is beautifully described in the Song of Solomon (Song of Solomon/Song of Songs 1–8).
- The prophet Jeremiah beautifully describes pain in Lamentations (Lamentations 1–5).
- Jesus communicates one of the most beautiful speeches transcribed in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7).
- Jesus is transfigured into His glorified self (Matthew 17).
- Jesus’ Passion is considered an act of beauty in suffering (John 19).
- Paul describes the ancient Hebrew understanding of beauty (Philippians 4).
- The beauty of poetic language is used by the prophets.
- The beauty of prophetic discourse provokes people to live differently.
- John uses imaginative descriptions of heaven and the end of days (Revelation 1–22).
Share Your Stories
Light + Life Magazine invites you to share your stories of creation in the 2016 year. We will gather stories from our readers, leaders and churches to celebrate creation at the end of 2016. We will work to gather everything together in one space and share the amazing works God has put on our hearts.
We are asking for examples of your creativity used for kingdom advancement including but definitely not limited to books, songs, music, videos, poetry, drama, messages and art (any form). We will be asking you for background and your motive behind the work, so be prepared to share that information with us.
If you need ideas or inspiration for your creative projects in 2016, the Light + Life Magazine team will be posting ideas at lightandlifemagazine.com/create with ways to engage your communities and families
Go to lightandlifemagazine.com/create for more information and submission instructions.
Jay Cordova is an ordained elder who serves as the director of communications for the Free Methodist Church – USA. He previously worked as a startup business entrepreneur and coached small businesses in a Michigan incubator.