God is our Divine Artist

Art is one of many creative and intimate avenues of spiritual expression. It is a tremendous (and even prayerful) outlet for our inner most feeling and thoughts. From humanity’s earliest existence, art has played an important role in humanity’s creative ability and process. There is a deep and innate part of each one of us that longs to capture and express energy and movement, light and dark, as well as emotions such as love and hate. Art is revealing and secretive. It tells a story that bursts forth onto a canvas, page, palate or molded clay; often in a unique and personal way. Art captures our likes and our dislikes. It tells others something about our inner most selves, and the mysterious story behind our eyes. When looking at a painting, a piece of sculpture or drawing we enjoy, often there is something (known or unknown) in that work which touches us in a deep and profound manner. Sometimes whether we like the piece of art or not, we find ourselves drawn into the life of the work; stimulated, captivated and even overwhelmed by what we find. In many ways it is our interpretation or the evoked emotion that gives that piece of art life, meaning and purpose.

We often forget that God is the divine artist, constantly creating and recreating life, the world and universe. God molded humanity out of the earth and then blew his holy breath into the sculpted clay, giving us life and substance. Filled with the creative life force of God’s breath, we too have an innate drive to create and find expression in the beauty of this world (whether we realize it or not).

Do we have a way, place or medium to release and exercise our creativity? This summer as many of us take vacation, go to camp or simply relax at home in the backyard, I encourage us to stop and look around at the vast and lovely creative work and energy of God. It is everywhere. Who knows, maybe we will be inspired to open up those tightly guarded places in our hearts and allow our creativity to bubble to the surface.