What is the Connection between God and Creativity?

This is the first of 7 blogs on releasing your creative potential.

What does God think about artists? Does he care? Does he even notice?

If everything was right, if we could clearly see the brushstrokes on the canvas of the created world, then the first words of the Bible would inspire endless creativity, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

The first verb, five words into the Bible, is “created.” The first thing we know about God is that he is creative. Creativity, life, vibrancy pour out of him.

It’s often said that we as creatives draw from an ongoing stream of thoughts, ideas and art flowing down to us through the ages. God is the head-water, the source of that stream.

Even more, God is creativity. It doesn’t exist without him.

God has left his fingerprints all over creation. The chords of Orion, a canopy of blue illuminated by light 93 million miles away, the touch of someone we love.

Just a few verses further in Genesis chapter one God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…”

Image bearing ties us to the source of our creativity. It is the reason for our creativity. God has placed a nearly infinite variety of raw material in our hands, and because we’re made in his image, we form something out of that material. We breathe notes into a flute, touch paper and pen, wrap ourselves around an upright bass, recreate the world in film and see our reflection in the movies we make.

God notices you. He knows you. He sees his reflection in the talents and gifts he’s given you.

And he sings with you. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Here are a few questions you can use for self-coaching. Share your thoughts in the comments section or contact me directly.

• What does the Bible say about God as an artist?
• What does the Bible say about you and me as artists?
• How will you apply this to your life?