Wired to Worship: A 7-Day Devotional Inspired by the Jesus Music Film and BookSample

Creativity Belongs to the Lord

Guitarist Randy Stonehill said in The Jesus Music that “Creativity belongs to the Lord, but it’s channeled through the artist.” This is a great way to explain what Genesis teaches us about God’s intent for his image-bearers to create in the world. 

God uniquely endowed human beings with creative gifts. Our instructions are to cultivate the good world he gave us, build something out of the raw materials, and create. Artists create because we were made to do this by our artistic Creator God. 

Of course, the creative process is more complex in a fallen world, often filled with despair and discouragement, rejection, mediocrity, and frustration. Sometimes the things humans create cannot be called “good” because they lead to outcomes that aren’t good for human flourishing. 

Still, even in a world marbled over by sin, God’s call to make stuff, create, and use our talents and gifts to express ourselves is in vogue. When it comes to music, this is especially important. Music is not merely entertainment—it can be—music is an act of worship, of creating something with the gift God has given, of bringing into the world something beautiful and unique and rich.

A relationship with Jesus isn’t necessary to create beautiful art. Because of common grace, people of various ideologies and backgrounds can create inspiring and wonderful music. Yet it should be those closest to God, by faith in Jesus Christ, who are the most creative people. The church should not be a graveyard for beauty but should be a garden, where the richest and most creative gifts are allowed to flourish and bloom. 

This is why, when healthy, God’s people express themselves in so many genres and styles and formats in ways that defy categories because creativity belongs to the Lord. 

Whether or not you are creative, writing songs or creating art, or someone who enjoys the creative expressions of others, take a moment today to thank God for the gift of creativity.