The creation process is always messing because in that there are many bits being released or broken down and coming back together again to create something that never was, something new and I hope something a lot better than perhaps previously was.
There are some bits we may be required to let go of so the finished product looks absolutely amazing. The sculptor doesn't end up with a masterpiece by using all his clay some of it will fall to the ground be gathered and tossed in the fire. I consider that which has fallen away and of no use to be like the dross from silver in its process of purification. Without removing dross from silver, the silversmith cannot produce a fitting vessel. The bible says, “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth [the material for] a vessel for the silversmith [to work up].” Proverbs 25:4 In other words take out the unnecessary bits and the artist can produce a thing of beauty. Not exactly a slick process but a worthwhile one.
In like manner the story of the nativity is not only a messy one but a truly alarming one. The conception of a child by a spirit in a virgin’s womb! The birth in a stable! The hunt down by a powerful king to exterminate a baby! God in human form. It’s messy and it makes no sense at all!
Let’s start with the pregnancy of a virgin – that’s enough gossip to blow up social media today and I get the impression that marriage would not have taken place as it did purely on the torrent of gossip that prevails in society today. There wasn’t any social media back then else I suspect God would have needed to come up with another brilliant idea of which He is never short!
God’s creativity is a journey of wonder and pure marvel. Surrendering to it, translates into this opportunity for reinvention and ultimately transformation of our self-image enabling a life that fulfils us.
I am reminded through the creativity story that God is the ultimate creator and I've got access to that. The one who called the very fabric of nature to life, the one who ordered the galaxies, the one who set the heavens in place, raised mountains, gathered oceans, seas and rivers, the one who orchestrated life in the deep of the ocean and in the clouds of the sky, He who formed me so Wonderfully and so fearfully I have access to Him. Since I come from Him I must have a measure of that creative juice. Over this Christmas and the new year coming I pray we lean in and explore it and discover where it takes us on our unique journey
Our ability to slay lays in our ability to create
Creating, while an act of bringing things to being, is also an act of ordering
It might be a messing process but there is a requirement for things to be ordered for proper functionality and yes beauty.
Consider our physical bodies, the workings of our respiratory systems or our muscular structure or our brain activity. Wonderfully and fearfully crafted to function and to beautify. In this, was the purpose of the nativity, that in His coming we would identify with a Son, a wonderful counsellor to provide wisdom & direction to care not just for ourselves but each other, a mighty God that we would serve wholeheartedly, an everlasting father so we would never feel abandoned or without, a prince of peace so that we are always functioning at our best doing the right things.
From the story of the nativity, it is clear creativity requires 3 things
Creation requires patience - Be patient with yourself, give yourself some wiggle room to learn and even to err, you are human and many have miraculously stumbled on such valuable treasure in their failures... This is because a lot of knowledge and understanding can come from our failures if we are truly leaning into the process. If there was ever a woman who exemplified patience it was Mary, mother of Jesus. She did not understand or comprehend the full story of the child she carried but she bore it with sure grace and meekness. She enabled an environment that ushered in the story of the nativity. Knowing it all doesn’t always guarantee creativity at its finest.
Creation needs inspiration - Keep yourself inspired by acknowledging every single miracle made possible in the past year through the precious gift of the Son we celebrate this Christmas. The birth of Jesus marked the entrance of a new government, one that isn’t tied to the cultures or traditions of this world, it marked a dawn of freedom to come. This new government and freedom enable creativity like nothing we have seen before. If we are really sensitive, we can already see it happening all around us and it is an opportunity for us to identify with freedom and let our own creative juices flow. The shepherds were inspired by the stars and the angels that caused them to look upwards. Look up for inspiration. They were inspired by the singing and announcements. Listen for joyful news and testimonies and be inspired.
Creation needs curiosity - Creation is a living, breathing thing and it’s all around us. We can enable it to become bigger in each of our lives. Sometimes we miss opportunities because we have numbed our hearts and settled with what we immediately understand. Remember the story of the nativity was not immediately comprehensible, in fact to some it still isn’t. There was nothing understandable about Mary’s situation nor the child she carried but today that child has a following of approximately 2.2billion across the world. That is 4 times more than the most followed person on Instagram – Cristiano Ronaldo and 6 times more than the most followed actor Dwayne Johnson (yes, I know ladies, Jesus is still greater!). The wise men were curious and their curiosity led them to a baby, a new beginning in the most unlikely place. A manger. The wise men took gifts with them. I pray your curiosity leads you with gifts to new beginnings and fresh starts as we enjoy the wonders of the Christmas season.
We all have this powerful ability to create and over the decades some of this might have been boxed up by religion or education or even corporate assignment when actually these are opportunities to really redefine the norm and bring life in perhaps dead places or areas of your life and society. Be the lifestyle change. Be the transformation. Be contagious in your joys, your zeal and the peace you discover! Enable creativity in the nativity.
Be blessed and have a wonderful Christmas
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