Full Measure of Joy: Creativity

My granddaughter Joy has a creative mind. If you look at the pictures I have, you’d know just how creative (you'll want to check out the photos at the end of this blog).

I have photos of food art. A waffle robot. A spaghetti face.

There are towers of blocks and some of random objects stacked on top of one another.

There are a few of animals organized into single file straight into the barn. And another with all the pieces of her nativity set on top of the stable.

Of course I must mention the furniture on top of the doll house (that was to keep the items safe from the tornado). Or the people of her doll house family hanging from the rails of the porch.

There are Easter eggs. There are bath tub murals. There are even photos of this creative mind at work.

She is creative.

My husband’s all-time favorite television program is MacGyver. Mac’s creative mind is the envy of any engineer (or any person for that matter). Mac had the ability to think under stress and come up with alternative methods for getting out of tough situations. Now that’s a creative mind.

God’s creativity has always amazed me.

He used animals to get people’s attention. Balaam’s donkey spoke to him (Numbers 22:28-30). Jonah was swallowed by a big fish (Jonah 1:17). Daniel wasn’t eaten by the lions (Daniel 6). Jonah's God-provided vine was chewed up by a worm (Jonah 4:7).

He used odd methods for winning battles. The battle of Jericho (Joshua 6). God insisted that Gideon had far too many warriors to defeat the Midianites (Judges 7). David defeated Goliath with a sling and a stone (1 Samuel 17).

He used science and nature in strange ways to share His message. Moses parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross (Exodus 13:17-14:31) and Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River after parting it (Joshua 3-4). Jesus calmed a storm to teach a lesson on faith (Matthew 8:23-27). Jesus fed a very large group of people with very little food (Matthew 14:13-21).

He uses you and me. Perhaps that’s the most remarkable use of all. Because I know myself. I know that I am weak. I know that my flesh fails. I know what I know. I know who I am. And yet God chooses to use me on a regular basis to share His message with others. And if you don’t believe He can use you, think again.

I’ve used this passage in the past, but I love what Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) says. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” He has prepared each of us for whatever task He is asking us to do. Don’t doubt it. Just allow Him to do it.

Watch for God’s creativity in your own life and then tell your story.

I am thankful for all the creativity in this world. Life would be boring without it. But we must ask ourselves these questions. What creative task is God asking of you today? Where will your creativity lead you? Who do you need to share God’s creativity with? When will you act upon God’s leading?

The only question left is why. Why haven’t you allowed God to work through you? He’s just waiting to show you His creativity.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna