An Examination of Creativity

I recently went to the Houston Fine Arts Museum. I have never been there before. What a truly incredible place that is. Amazing. It is vibrant, humming, exploding with creative energy. It is amazing what some people are capable of. With the stroke of a brush, with hand to clay or any number of media worlds are created, moments captured, emotion expressed in ways that surpass words. It humbles me to be in such a place. It made me worship. It inspired me to worship because I was in the midst of creation and I believe that we were created by a creator. And the Bible says that we were created by a creator in His image. Therefore, I believe that we were created by a creator to be creative. Creativity is fundamental to humanity. Some people feel that they are not creative at all, but in reality, we all create....something. We don't all create with the palate, the brush, with words, or song, with a camera or with clay, but we all create.

Creativity, in its essence is reflecting what is inside to the outside. It therefore naturally reflects the one that created it. Take an artist, for instance. You can look at a great work of art, hanging in a museum, and you can see what was inside the artist at the time it was created. You can see the artist's soul. The artist is in the art.

Can we then say that God, The Creator, The Artist, IS... ALL... AROUND... US....Everywhere and in everything. There is a writer named Rob Bell, he says that everything is spiritual and it is. There is significance in all of life. You can find God in the least expected places, if you're looking. He created it all and so He can be seen in everything. That is why, when we see a great piece of art, when we hear a song that stirs our heart, when we see an old married couple holding hands, when my daughters laugh, when I see a sunset, when I share a meal with my good friends, when my wife holds me close, in all these stolen moments and more I worship. I worship, not the creation, but the creator who spun it all into being. In the creation poem the writer states that each day when God was finished with the days creativity he looked at it and said, "it is good".

God, help me to look at all of life and see you, the creator, the artist and help it to stir me to worship.

WWJD

I hate bumper sticker Christianity. I loathe it. You can't possibly boil down the way of Jesus to a series of pithy catch phrases, bullet statements or acronyms. Although mostly pure in motive I believe that they have damaged the world's view of Christianity, not improved it.

Having said that, I am going to invoke one today. WWJD. I have been asking myself lately, is this life; is my life a life that Jesus would be living. God has been reinforcing in my mind that Jesus is the standard. Jesus, and no one else. So, would Jesus be living this life I am living. I am not talking about, would he be watching that movie or saying that word or would he wear those cloths. I am talking about the sum total of my life. Would he be doing what I am doing. Would he be working toward the same goals. Would he be focused on having a bigger house, a better car, a bigger savings account, a weekend home, a boat, or whatever. Or would He be spending all His time, energy, and money loving, restoring and telling the people around him about the glory of the father and the redemption only found in him, and loving the people around him with passion. Would he look to all those around, the poor, the hungry, the lonely, the sick and look to meet their needs. If he had a high paying job would he keep it all for himself or would he give it all away.

Donald Miller says that life is hard when you are one of those people that has to ask the why questions. Life would be so much simpler if you just asked how. How, do I make money, how do I marry a pretty wife, how do I buy a lake house or a boat or whatever. I am afraid that I am one of those that asks why. I feel as though I have spent my life doing that. The problem is that it has paralyzed me. I have debated for the last 20 years or so, whether or not I should be doing full time vocational ministry. I have gone back and forth and at times have felt that maybe that's why I'm not happy. I am not doing my calling. That is always the question. Am I doing my calling. If I could just figure that out, everything would be great. I would be walking in line with the rhythm of my life and everything will go perfectly. So I have been paralyzed by this internal debate about what to do and where to go. Ultimately this is a very selfish pursuit. It is very me and my world focused. It assumes that my satisfaction in life is God's ultimate purpose and highest priority.

I had some clarity this morning. Today on RC Sproul's radio show, he addressed this very thing. What he said is that the bible is essentially silent on this issue of calling. The only thing that scripture addresses is that we are all called to salvation and to righteousness. That's it. What we do to earn money is not his primary concern. We are to live everyday working toward that end. Reading scripture, praying living and loving and ultimately growing. It is about change. Our calling is toward change, renewal, and restoration. Our calling is to a life of loving God and loving others. So I deduced the question is not what job am I called to do, but does my job help me or hinder me in this calling of change. So I must stop waiting for writing on the wall, or for the clouds to part and a voice from heaven. God does not guide us like a fortune Teller or a guidance counselor. He is about the business of change, restoration for our good and for His glory.

God, change me, no matter where that takes me, no matter what the cost. Teach me to love like Jesus and make it my calling.

Perfect

I know there is a God. I Know it, I feel it, I see him all around me. I can look into the past and see the ordering of my steps and God's Graceful, merciful hand showing me the way. I know there is a God. I know it. I know it because of the faces that I wake up to every single day. My wife and my three kids. They are simply amazing. It is difficult to even begin to describe how I feel about them. It is so perfect, so sublime, it is without question the most perfect thing in my life.

I know there is a God because they are there. I am so stupid, and as a young man I was even more stupid. I have made so many mistakes in my life it is amazing that I am here today. Some how, some way, I ended up with this incredible woman as my wife. God's hand of mercy extended an unusual amount of Grace to me the day we began our relationship. I cannot begin to tell you how perfect she is for me, how she completes my thoughts, how she knows my feelings. And beautiful, I have never met her equal. She is an amazing mother and we have beautiful children. And she loves. she loves God, loves me, loves our kids and the people around her with such honesty, tenderness and mercy. I know there is a God because I have ended up with a women like this. I could not have earned her, or have been smart, or cunning enough to woo her. I know there is a God. I see it in her face everyday. I know there is a God because she has stuck with me for 12 years.

I love her.

Happy Birthday Aimee!

This strange thing called.....life

It's a strange thing, this thing we call life. Stuck between here and there we climb and crawl, run and leap. All the time fighting, clawing, stretching out towards....something.....stretching out toward...everything. We're always stretched out between the two of us, who we are and who we should be. We're always struggling between that sin nature, that root of rebellion born in us at Eden and straining toward what Christ has born in us anew, the new humanity. The new humanity, Christ in me the hope of redemption. The new humanity, God's desire for all men. Redemption and justice paid for with mercy. So I struggle on, not to repay an un-payable debt but from the love born in me through Christ. Whatever I have thought was important. Whatever I have pursued, in the end is nothing compared to knowing God and giving the world an accurate view of him by loving His people.

God, help me to fully embrace my new humanity, help me to love as you love, with hope, dignity, integrity, intention and without reservation, or expectation.

What if.....

What if you woke up one day and realized that the dream that you had been dreaming was the wrong dream. What if, what you had been working toward your whole life, the dreams that had affected you decisions, the dreams that had directed your life, the dreams that had helped you choose your career, dreams that had helped choose where you lived, where you worshiped, and most every other major decision of your life was the wrong dream. What if everyone around you had the same dream and if you dared to dream another dream you might seem odd or off balance or even crazy.

I'm talking about safety, comfort and security. I've spent 35 years looking for it. It's why I chose a profession I thought would make me a good living, why I have chosen to live among people that look like me, act like me and think like me. It is why I surround myself with nice things and look for entertainment at every turn. It is why we talk of retirement accounts, and savings and weekend homes and why we are always saying wouldn't it be nice if we had...or wouldn't it be great if we could.... The sad thing is that I tell myself that I am doing these things for my family. I am protecting them. After all, they are my biggest priority and they deserve all of what life has to offer. The truth, however is that this is all an illusion. There really is no safety, security and comfort that we can achieve. No matter how much you have or where you are or who you know, it could all be gone tomorrow. The stock market could crash, your reputation tarnished, your house could burn down, your car stolen, your job gone or on your way home you could be hit by a car and it would all go away. No safety, no security, no comfort.

In reality, it is all an illusion. In reality it is coverings for our nakedness. We are back in the garden. Nothing has changed since then, just what we try to cover ourselves with.

God is waking me up from the dream. Teaching me, helping me to realize that somehow I have confused the "American Dream" for His desire for my life. He is helping me realize that there are far greater things than safety, security and comfort. He is showing me that what he wants from me is Love. Loving him and loving the people around me. Loving with reckless abandon. Loving with a giving, self sacrificing senseless kind of love. Love that expects nothing in return. Love that risks. Love that doesn't close me off from the world but opens me up. Love that takes me where there are those who have no love around them, no matter where it takes me or what it costs.

God, Help me to love with reckless abandon.

Loving Integrity

So, I'm reading through Exodus these days. It has been amazing. I am learning so much through the narrative of God delivering his people. But, yesterday I came to a section that lies after the ten commandments. There are three sections of scripture that detail how the Hebrews should interact with each other. It's stuff like, if you kill your neighbor's bull you should replace it or be enslaved. If you injure your brother you should pay him a fee, and on and on and on.

I read one of these sections yesterday and thought to myself...um....yeah....ok.....right.... so thanks for that God. I thought to myself well that's one of those little sections that does not really pertain to today and I am not sure there is much there for me. I am wanting to read through all of Exodus so I am going to just have to power through these sections to get to the good stuff.

This morning there was another such section. I realized that this was the case and then decided to pray. I said God, teach through this passage today. What do you want to say to me through this passage.

Lately, God has been dealing with me in the area of love. Loving him with all of my heart and loving others. He has been redefining my parameters for loving him and loving others. Stretching me. Showing me more and that he expects more of me. He has been showing me that the standard is not me, it's not the people around me, it's not mother Theresa. It is Jesus. Jesus is the standard. Which I have known since pre-school Sunday school. After all, Jesus is the answer to any question that the teacher asks. God is redefining Jesus for me. It's molding me, changing me, stretching me. It is changing my ideas about who God is, who I am, and what He wants from me. It is changing my idea of what it means to be a Christian.

Toady's section was about property issues. After reading this, it hit me. These sections are not dry, dull, arbitrary rules. They are about how the Hebrews were to interact with each other. They were about personal integrity. And then it was clear, my personal integrity in dealing with other people is another way of loving them. If I act in poor character to another person, if I cheat him, if I cause him injury, if I intrude on his rights, If I break fellowship with him, I break trust with him. He will loose faith in me. If I fail to show him respect, I fail to show him love. In the way of Jesus, we are to love as he loved. He loved with integrity, respect, mercy, with diligence and intention. And so should I!

God, help me to see my personal integrity as loving my fellow man and therefore loving you as well.

Deep in love with you..

Last week in church we sang the song "Deep in love with you" by Michale W. Smith.
I love that song. It has been stuck in my head all week. It has been playing in my mind over and over and over.
I'm deep in love with you, Abba Father
I'm deep in love with you, Lord
I'm deep in love with you precious Jesus
I'm deep in love with you Lord.

The more that I have reflected on that the more it bothers me, though.

I started thinking. I am deeply in love with my precious wife. More and more everyday. I am deeply in love with her. I want to spend all my time with her. We talk all the time about someday being able to work together so that we don't have to be separated. I want to do the things that she wants to do, I want to give her gifts, I want to love what she loves, and I love the people that she loves. I want nothing more than for her to be happy and satisfied.

I don't feel that way about God. At least it does not play out that way in my actions, thoughts and words. I say that I do and I sing all the songs and tell God that I love him in my prayers. If I am really honest I have had a pretty half hearted love for God. I don't like that.

God, help me to stop comparing myself to everyone around me and use Jesus as the measure of my life and my love for you. Help me to fall deep in love with you and may my life reflect it.

Centripetal Force

Any crisis, obstacle, disaster, or failure has centripetal force. It is a vortex that draws you inward, a force that draws you in, circling the center of you. Why did this happen to me, why did I do that, why can't I catch a break, why am I so stupid. Me...I...I...I....I! It is the disaster after the disaster, It is the famine after the drought. You can circle in on yourself so much and for so long that you and your problems are all that you can see. It shrinks the world around you till you feel that this is all there is. The way that I see it, in the way of Jesus there are but two demands: Love God above all else and love others as yourself. I kind of see the second part of that as like loving your own hand. I don't think about loving my hand. It is not a conscience thought but I do love it. I know this because I know it. I see it. I interact with it and when it has needs I address them. If I cut it or bruise it, I take care of it. I nurse it back to health I use it gingerly and pamper it. That's how we should love other people. We should love them, all of them, so much that it is second nature. They and their well being are as important as my right hand.

However, you can't do that when you are down in a whole digging in the dirt. Taking a bath in self pity.

God, help me, when facing failure and obstacles to look outward to others and their needs as you work on me and bring me through.

Cliffed Out!

The goal that day was Mount Yale. We were taking the non-standard route to the peak from Kroenke Lake. In most of my climbing adventures the day starts one way and ends another. It seldom goes as planned. It is generally an evolving strategy with the beginning and end always in mind but, unforeseen variables are almost a given. When you make a bad decision it sometimes leads you to a cliff where you cannot continue on. On this day my best friend and climbing partner set out with great hopes and the summit in view. Somewhere along the way we detoured. The path to the mountain led over a series of ridges, which from below looked ominous, dangerous and risky. We decided to take the "safe route", choosing rather to skirt around the edge of the mountain. It was a big mistake. The route was difficult. It took much longer than it should. We did finally make the summit.

The summit of a mountain is a magical place. You can see for miles. The exhaustion you feel, the thin air and the top of the world view make your head spin and create this euphoria that is hard to describe. We celebrated, snapped a few pictures and then started back. This time we were not about to traverse back the way we came. We chose an even "safer" route. We descended down the mountain into a valley where the grass was green and rolling and there was no difficulty in sight. Big mistake. We did not learn from our previous mistake. We descended down into the valley and then approached a pass that we would have to overcome to continue on our way. By this time we had been hiking for nearly seven hours. We approached the base of the pass and I can still remember the feeling of looking up at that pass. It was at least 750 ft to the crest and beyond lay two more miles of difficult terrain to get to camp, some food, my sleeping bag and safety. I was utterly exhausted. I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I believed in my heart that there was no way that I could continue. A series of bad decisions had led me here to this place, this moment, this climb. I put myself in a position where there were no other choices. Despite what every cell in my body was telling me I had to continue on. And I did. We made it back, but learned some valuable lessons. Fear is a powerful motivator. It can warn us of danger but it can also push us to make poor decisions. What seems safer is not always better and even when we think we are making the logical, practical decisions it can cost you.

I am at the bottom of that mountain pass today. The climb is difficult and more than I want to bare but there is no other choice. I must push on.

God, carry me over obstacles seen and unseen. When the obstacle cannot be avoided, and when it is to my benefit carry me through. Help me to follow your way even when it seems impractical, improbable or frightening knowing that where you lead me is where I want to be.

Restore my failures

I am having one of those days today. The kind of day that you hope to never have. The kind of day when you stare failure right in the face. It is hard to look in the mirror and not like what you see. There are those moments in life when you realize that you are human and not a very good one at that. What do you do in those moments? I think that most of the time I prefer to simply check out, so to speak. Pretend it is not there. Pretend that failure does not exist. In other words I deny my humanity. I deny my sin. I deny that I am vulnerable. I deny that I am hopeless. I deny that I need God. That's right. I said it. I deny that I need God. That's really what it is, is it not? Failure is when need has run it's course, when the human condition has been taken to it's logical conclusion. When I have to look at my failure dead on, like today, there is no denying it. I can no longer pretend that I am not hopeless. I am in that moment in full realization that I am ruined. Ruined! I have been ruined from the beginning. Simply saved by grace. Saved by Christ, who came to restore all things, even my failure.

God come and restore my life. Restore me. Restore my failure and set things right. You're the only one who can....