Beautiful Things: The Art of Creation
A potter cradles clay and water in her hands. Using a spinning wheel, she pulls the earth up into the form of a vase that will one day give drink to thirsty flowers. A little boy—a future chef—dawns his oversized apron, drags a stool to stand on to the kitchen counter, and digs his hands into the soon-to-be dough, sending flour everywhere. A gardener drops to her knees and, with full awareness of the care that went into tending the fruits in the garden, gently plucks the first ripe tomato of the season from the vine. A guitarist steps up to a microphone and announces why the song he is about to play holds so much meaning for him. A photographer goes through her week on the lookout for God-sightings—those moments when the sun shines through the trees just right or when she catches herself smiling while watching her kids play in the yard. She records her encounters with God by snapping a picture.
God is endlessly creative, and in creative love God designed the world. As part of that design, God brought together the gifts of creativity, joy, and imagination into a special means of worship: ART. Long after the dawn of creation, God is still creating the world, touching up places here and there, making the world more vivid with every brushstroke, and inviting you to participate in the artistry of it all. There are drab neighborhoods and communities, broken relationships and dreams just waiting to be made vibrant again… blank canvases longing to be smeared and smudged with beauty. If we’re going to use art to make the world more beautiful, then we’re going to need to share it with others. Need some suggestions to get started? I’ve got you covered:
Write a short story, a poem, a letter, a joke, a book, or a song and share it with a friend.
Draw/paint/photograph something you find beautiful. Frame it and share it.
Get clay, paper plates, cotton balls, or whatever you have around the house into your hands and follow your imagination.
Play an instrument or a game or block-off with the kids on the playground.
Put on your favorite song/playlist, find a brave friend, and dance however feels right.
Make a meal and then share it with others. Better yet, make the meal together.
God is inviting you into God’s creative labors. When your creation and God’s Creation come together, the world begins to look like God intends for it to look: beautiful. So, get out there and praise God with your creativity!