Growing Chaos, Greater Creativity

How should we view our creativity in times of growing chaos? When the world is unraveling, does it even make sense to spend time on our art…or would it be better to set it aside until things calm down? Of all the things we could be doing at this moment, is our creativity relevant?

It is. In fact, the greater the chaos, the greater the need for our God-given creativity.

It’s so important that it’s how God begins the story of everything. He introduces himself as a Creator in the first verses of scripture. In the beginning, he creates the heavens and the earth. But notice what happens first. He goes into the chaos. Genesis 1:2 puts it this way: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (NIV)

That’s not an environment most of us would choose to create in. It sounds messy, distracting, antagonistic. Yet God is not deterred. He doesn’t wait for chaos to leave before beginning. God enters this void and transforms it through the most stunning acts of creation ever into oceans, mountains, forests, wildflowers, animals, and us.

God’s canvas wasn’t a peaceful studio. It was chaos. His response to the chaos was creation. May it be our response as well.

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