Today has been a joyous day! The LORD had told me a few days ago to share a story from Him with a friend of mine that needed to hear it. I had known weeks ago that I would be sharing this story with her, but I also knew that I needed to wait on His timing. Today He blessed both of us with the chance to share this story from Him. What a blessing this was! Though I have shared this story with many people, it never becomes old. Jesus’s truth, His story, should never become old! He reveals more of Who He is each time I share it and He renews my courage, my hope, and my joy every time I obey Him and tell yet another brother or sister.

Today when I shared this story, my friend was captured by the light and the color in it. She was awed by the LORD’s beauty, awed by the importance that He places on creativity. The Creator made us in His image; He made us to be creative as He is and to love beauty as He does! The more we understand Who He is, the more we can be filled with JOY in observing and participating in His act of creation. By knowing Abba’s love and care for even the minutiae of our lives, we can appreciate and be attentive to even the minutest details of our own lives.
My friend and I discussed the role of an artist in our world today. We are artists who are Christians. This should make us the most creative people on the planet! We are connected to the Creator Himself; we have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, IN us. This means that we have the power and creativity of the Creator Himself within US! If we are listening and obeying Him, He allows us to participate in His creative work. This can include painting, sculpture, composing, performing, drawing, and so much more! As we follow His call to create, we must listen to His leading, but we must also practice our skill. We cannot be used well if we are not being faithful with the talent and gift He has given us. I must practice writing out melodies and separate lines of music that I hear before I will be able to pick apart and write out dozens of lines that I hear in my head. When a particular piece or even one measure is frustrating and driving me crazy and I feel like quitting, I can choose to persevere or I can choose to stop trying. When I choose to keep going and do the best I can, Abba knows that I am giving Him all that I have. He sees my perseverance as being faithful. When we are faithful in the small things, He will entrust us with greater things.
LORD, may we as artists be faithful in the little things, the small notes, harmonies, colors, or specks we notice in our work that many others might not even see or hear. May we struggle through the process, knowing that it is refining and beautiful. May we persevere to discover the joy of sorrow you have planned for us in this journey of life, this journey of creating and making art!