I love to write. I don’t think that’s a secret I try to keep. I also like to think that I’m quite creative. If I look back over the years I think the most creative part of me is my imagination. I even had an imaginary friend when I was a little girl. I always loved writing essays when I was at school and ever since I could read I wanted to write a book. I am very happy all on my own with a book to read, no, let me rather say it’s a great joy for me to be left all alone with a book to read. Every person should be encouraged to find their passion in life. When you know what makes your heart beat faster and puts a smile on your face, everything else becomes much easier to handle. Once you know what it is you can use that passion to bring honor to God.
God is the ultimate creator. He made the whole world with a word. He sculpted Adam from clay and then He made Eve out of Adam’s rib. Just think about this, everything was created by God speaking, except animals and humans. God took the time to make us perfectly with His own hands and then He breathed His own breath into us. Genesis 2:7, ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Adam was also a very creative person. He gave names to all the animals. Genesis 2:19, “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.” God recognized and respected the authority He had given to Adam. He didn’t overrule him and say he was giving them stupid names.
In Genesis 4:21 – 22 we find some more creative people, “His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron.” Then of course there was Noah, who crafted the first floating hotel. Genesis 9:13, “I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” God was so creative making the rainbow, even today people rejoice in it’s beauty. Jacob made a beautiful coat of many colours for his favourite son, Joseph. Moses and Miriam both led the Israelites in singing and dancing in the desert. Aaron sculpted a calf out of gold, and Moses made a golden serpent. In Exodus from chapter 27 to chapter 30, God tells Moses in great detail how to build the tabernacle and what its furnishings must look like. Exodus 31:1- 11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Goeiemôre Chantel. Ek het nog nie my huur gekry nie. Is daar n probleem? of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— 8 the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand—10 and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”
Because the Egyptians had given the Israelites all kinds of treasures before they left Egypt they had all kinds of gold and silver jewellery, cloth and precious items. These are what were used to build and furnish the tabernacle in the desert. Then in Numbers 10:1 – 2, “And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: ‘Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing movement of the camps. All over the Old Testament there are references to idolatry, carved images, likenesses of anything on the earth or under the sea etc. There were obviously a lot of very creative people using their talents for evil.
Before the walls of Jericho fell, Rahab is very creative in first hiding the spies and then letting them out of her house by a rope. The whole action of circling the city of Jericho once a day and then seven times on the seventh day, blowing trumpets and shouting as they circled it the seventh time, isn’t the instruction of a god with no imagination. Rahab’s house was marked by a scarlet chord that she hung out of the window so that she and her family could be saved. She married Salmon and her son was Boaz, who married Ruth. Both of them are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. Only a creative God could organize that.
David was a very creative soul. He wrote so many songs – most of the Psalms, and he played the harp. H e was skilful enough to calm King Saul when the evil spirit came on him. Then there’s the Proverbs 31 woman. Here’s a selection of verses from Proverbs 31:19 – 31 “She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle. She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
The book of Isaiah is probably the most prophetic and poetic book in the Bible. Chapter 40 is a wonderful poem written in beautiful language and full of imagery. Verse 12, “Who has measured the water in the hollow of his hand? Measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” Verse 21, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it bot been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” Isn’t that just so beautiful? Isaiah 55:12, “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
In Jeremiah 18, God instructs Jeremiah to go to a potter who was busy making pots using a wheel. Verse 6, “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.” Then in chapter 19 God uses a broken pottery flask as a sign that He will break the city and its people. In the Old Testament a lot of imagery is used in prophecy. Then in the New Testament Jesus uses stories, called parables, to teach people lessons that they will be able to identify with. Story telling is an art that Jesus was very, very good at. Then His first miracle of turning water into wine is extremely creative. Not something you see every day. In Revelation the Throne Room of Heaven is described and it’s beauty is beyond the skills of any interior decorator. Revelation 4:3,6 “And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne we four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.” Then the new Jerusalem is described in chapter 21. From verse 18: The construction of its walls was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the walls were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
I believe we have received every creative talent and gifting from the Father, our Creator extraordinary and we should be using the gifts we have to his honour and glory.
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