the creative has help in God

on locating the Heart of God for art + creation

As creatives, do we really believe that God is the ultimate Creator?

Do we believe that He is creativity in its fullness?

And do we believe that He is the help for creatives?

Think about God and creativity for a moment. Really — close your eyes and consider what the creative God is like. Can you envision Him as the God Who is deeply concerned with the salvation of your soul, as well as the One Who is eager and willing to help you create? To do what He does?

I have recently been both taken with and concerned with figuring out what it looks like to interact with art as a believer in Christ and trying to find the will of God in how I approach it, or as Ephesians 5:10 says it, “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” Wrestling with what I am permitted to create and consume.

If you’ve had a similar experience to mine, you might have grown up with a limited idea of creativity as a believer. I grew up thinking even Christian rap was sinful, and even went down a little trail of stressing about whether I was going to hell for wearing jewelry or listening to music with drums in it.

As I’ve grown in the Lord, though, He has fathered me and dismantled many of the legalistic lies that I had eaten, showing me Scripture where He Himself is the One Who adorns His people with jewelry, and directed me to verses about timbrels.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think yes, not only was He after dismantling lies because He is truth and wants me to see Him rightly, but also He was healing my view of creativity in His Kingdom, well before I had an interest in it at all.

In my writing fellowship last year, with Christianity Today’s Young Storytellers Fellowship, one of the books we were gifted to read was “Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art”. And as I began to read it, it became a kind of catalyst for me to become particularly intentional about learning how to interact with such a visual and creative world in the way my Creator intended, both in creation and consumption.

I wrestle with what kind of pieces I can write, especially concerning fiction, since for so long I thought the only way to honor God with my craft was to write an overtly evangelical work. And now it feels like this dance, waltzing with God, trying to figure out what steps He delights in and how to convey the glory of His dance to others.

I’m also asking guiding questions about what I consume, and without using overt evangelicalism as my litmus test, try to determine what art glorifies God and showcases beauty.

I consider how an atheist could build a fantastically beautiful building, and it would be glorious and beautiful and worth standing in awe of, even though there are no Bible verses etched into the side of it. It’s awe-inspiring enough to see what human beings are capable of by the grace of God. Such considerations have been proving helpful.

Ultimately, I’m on a journey of learning what it means that God is the original Creator and creativity embodied, the fullness of it. And I am learning that the creative has help in God.

Recently, I’ve been treated to finding God’s heart for creativity in the Old Testament. The other morning, I read Exodus 28, which speaks about the priestly garments. I began to notice this phrasing: “for glory and for beauty”.

Look at Exodus 28:2

“And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.”

And then again in verse 40

“For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty.”

This phrase has stuck with me and become a kind of guideline for creation in my craft — I want to create things for glory and beauty, and devote those things to God. I’m taken with the idea that the creation of these garments is for glory, and here’s why.

I wondered what the Biblical definition of glory was, and I’m not sure if there’s several, but the one I am currently looking at says “glory” is “kavod” in Hebrew, and “doxa” in Greek; it generally refers to “the manifestation of God’s character, attributes, and presence, often associated with splendor, honor and worth.”

So, could it be that to create for glory and beauty is to create for the manifestation of God’s character? Can we create something that becomes an interface for others to see and even interact with the presence of God? I think yes, and it’s going to take divine help and direction to do it — but thank God, the creative has help in God.

Not long after the passage we read together, in Exodus 31, we meet a man named Bezalel. Here’s what went down:

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship…”

Fast forward to verse six and see this:

“…and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.”

I’m seeing a few things that make me pretty hopeful and giddy. There’s a lot happening here, but let’s start with this: God called Bezalel. And with that calling, He gave him everything he needed to create God’s will in the tabernacle. So, what did God give Sir Bezalel?

Bezalel does not come to build the temple without divine help. He was called, filled with the Spirit of God, and in Him had the wisdom and knowledge to design artistic works. And in verse six, we see that Aholiab was appointed and given wisdom in his heart, as well as all the “gifted artisans” to make all God commanded them to.

Long story short, you will find all you need to do the artistic work God set out for you to do in God. Creative, you have help in God. His finger is not far from you.

What does this look like for us, then? For one, I think there’s real value in praying the scriptures. We have scriptural proof that directly demonstrates the heart of God in creativity. As you begin your day, pray the scriptures we read today. Ask God to give and continue to give you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to create what He desires to see made.

Invite Holy Spirit, tell Him you cannot create what God desires without His help, and pray to be yielded to His direction. He is the One Who leads us to to truth, Who leads us to Jesus — you will create in truth and display it if you follow His leading.

Again, creative, there is no work God will set out for you to do that He is not eager and willing to help and guide you. You have help in God.

With love,

Rebecca