The Bible opens: “In the beginning, God created….” A little later in Genesis 1:27, we find: “So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
At this point in the Bible, we know that God created. We know that what God created was good, in God’s opinion. We also know that humankind was created in the Creator’s image. We were created after the very likeness of God, given a higher nature, given a soul. We are designed for a relationship with God and others.
The best example of the image of God is Jesus. The Son is the exact imprint of God; the representation of God manifested into our four dimensions of space and time. See Hebrews 1:3.
Though marred by sin, the divine image is found in the believer. The Holy Spirit works within us to restore the beauty of the original divine image.
Being created in the Image of God tells us that we have been given the ability to create, and what we create has the promise of being good. Good for the Kingdom.
Look at Adam. He created names for all the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. God was interested in Adam’s results. God planted a garden in Eden and gave Adam the task of tilling and keeping the garden. Likely Adam brought creativity to his undertaking.
Look at Jesus. In his earthly ministry, he created. He gave us amazing parables, object lessons, and memorable sayings.
My inspiration comes from reading and reflecting on Scripture, listening to a sermon, prayer, and small group discussions.
My spiritual gifts are art and communication. (This does not include grammar, spelling, and punctuation.)
Spiritual inspiration, together with spiritual gifts, produces art that glorifies God. Creating art while I study Scripture helps me become more invested in the text, and I gain new insights into God’s Word. The Word is integrated into my heart and my behavior. This result is very good.
Look at what happens when you create. A book, a blog, a poem, an image, a sculpture, or something else is born. Something that wasn’t there before is brought into existence by your creative action.
Again, by using our creativity as we interact with Scripture, we become more invested in the verses and gain new insights into God’s Word. The Word dwells in us.
Composing Christian Mandalas while you study Scripture, regardless of your artistic ability, is an excellent way to create while you explore the Word.
When you create for the Kingdom, it is a treasure in heaven that cannot be taken away. See Matthew 6:20.