- It’s 11:42 pm here in Phoenix. Tomorrow morning I get on a plane to Philly at 5:30 am. Yet, I’m up posting to my blog. Why? Actually it’s more than that. I’m settling for posting to my blog. What I’d really like to do is revamp the whole site, add ton’s of content to the pages on swing dancing, and create create create. Why? No, I’m serious! Why? Why do we want to create? Why is it that I feel empty if I can’t point to something that wasn’t there before. What hole is going to be filled? In the past I’ve heard “We are made in God’s image, God is a creator, and therefore, we create.” Maybe this is true. Maybe I can go up to my hotel room, sleep for a few hours before returning to Philly, and learn to just be.
Well, I do think we have an innate desire to create. However, I think that desire gets taken captive by our desire to be recognized, to be counted, to stand apart as distinguished. When we were in perfect community, we could create and know that we were creating to express our utmost desires for God and others and creation. However, we no longer have that security. We are naked. We desperately want to clothe ourselves. Often we seek to create in order to provide ourselves some underwear or to provide ourselves with a fancy suit. Nevertheless, even in the midst of these twisted desires, God's creative act is coming through. A special person in his creation is creating. And even our twisted desires often have some element of wanting to express how we feel about God or his creation (however sometimes in the negative because of the pain we feel). I think it is better that we go on creating even when it is negative rather than stop creating at all. I think this is one of the points of the Bible. God could have obliterated us and stopped sin from occurring. But I think he felt that it was better to continue on rather than stopping. Something good still occurs. I think this is a refreshing way of looking at ourselves.
The Lord has chosen us to be a people likened to Himself. Like it or not, it is within us all to be creation-minded people. Does it have to be a masterpiece, no, do we have to knit together the innermost being of a soul, no, but we all long to create. The thing that stands between most people and God is the idea conceived in their own minds that what they have created is too evil to bring before God. I long for these people to understand that God is the potter of our clay, even as He is the potter of us. He will take what we have made, and shine it to be brighter and more majestic than the mountain tops. All we have to do is intertwine our fingers with His, and allow Him to work. Many things get in the way of this, but ultimately I think that is what God desires of us.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little weird responding to a post that I orgionally started, but here goes.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are build in God's image.
Yes, it can be poluted by our sin.
Example: God rested, we should rest, but we shouldn't be lazy. Coorelation: God created, we create, we shouldn't turn creating into a sin.
Justin, this may have some connection to what you have called "learning to do". Creating doesn't necessarily mean "concieve of something new/artistic/creative". It could mean "make another one of what you already have". What has God called you to do? What has God called you to create? How is what you are creating showing God's glory?
I know that I love to create and be creative as well. I love to allow myself getting lost in a piece of "art" (well, at least art in my mother's eyes). This is simply something that is enjoyable and relaxing. Hmm...we always associate God with "working" so hard to create the world that he took a day off on Saturday (I'm being a little sarcastic) when he might have really enjoyed it and found it to be quite relaxing...just a thought.
ReplyDeleteBut back to the point at hand. I think that the difficulty comes out when we begin to take pride in what we create instead of glorifing God creating something through us. He is the potter, we are the clay, and yet we as clay think that we can create other pieces of clay.
dude just because you had a little operation this week doesn't mean you can slack off on the posting. Well all that just to say I hope you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest. I usually thing, "we've been playing too long," or something, but I still love playing as loud and as long as I can on Sunday morning. I might think we're more square than I'd like, or how much I'd prefer playing gospel or r&b, but I still love playing. Totally self-serving I think.
ReplyDeletePat, I've never actually met anyone who think's they're making something too evil to bring before God. What situations were they in with you?
Ken, I define art as taking intellectual ideas and feelings, and making them physical realities. You may or may not make something of commercial excellence, but it doesn't negate what it is.
Opportunity is a big deal in the process of being creative.
ReplyDelete