With these few
words we are introduced to the original Artist, the supreme Creative, God
Almighty. Creativity, an essential part of God’s divine nature, is an essential
part of our nature, imbedded in all of us as we are created in His image and
after His likeness.
“And God said, Let
us make man in our image, after our likeness…” – Genesis 1:26 (KJV)
God intended for us
to use this implanted creativity for His will and His purpose; it’s meant to be
as functional as it is beautiful to look at (Genesis 2:9).
It is God who has
given us the ability to create as He creates.
We are repeatedly
exhorted to offer up spiritual sacrifices, especially in the form of praise,
prayer, and thanksgiving.
David, a man after
God’s own heart, knew the importance of this, as evidenced by all the beautiful
Psalms he wrote.
The importance of
praising, praying and giving thanks can never be overemphasized but just as we
are to offer up these spiritual sacrifices, there are other aspects of our
lives which we should also surrender to God.
Our time, our
money, our gifts and our talents and, we are also called to surrender ourselves
as living sacrifices.
Paul appeals to us,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, by the mercies of God, holy and
acceptable to God, he describes it as our spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)
Yes, offering
yourself is your ultimate sacrifice and part of you are your God-given gifts
and talents which involve your creativity.
Each one of us is
blessed with a gift or talent of some kind. These blessings are not just for
our own indulgence, no…we are expected to share these possessions with others.
Hebrews 13:16 (NRSVUE) tells us,
“Do not neglect to
do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Understand that
giving to others from our physical substance is just as spiritual as any other
sacrifice and therefore we are not to neglect this form of sacrifice. We are to
pour ourselves out for God and for one another.
Sacrificing our gifts
and talents unto God ensures that when we pour them out, it is how He desires
it to be done. We must never do anything in our own volition because the
Kingdom of God – His rule and reign – extends to our gifts and talents.
We should be expressing
these God-given gifts and talents in our church services via storytelling,
poetry, dance, music, theatre, and visual arts which have the ability to
influence others in powerfully meaningful ways, especially when we allow God to
direct their use for His glory.
God specifically
called Bezalel to make “artistic designs” as recorded in Exodus 31:1-6.
Unfortunately, we
are not always encouraged by the church to use these forms of expression. As a
matter of fact, permission is often denied and creativity invalidated by church
leaders.
I know of a young dynamic
preacher who got a vision of a service where the prescribed Scripture readings were
dramatized and there was more singing of hymns and worship songs than talking but
when he presented this idea to the leadership of his church he was emphatically
shot down.
Creatives are too
often discouraged, being told that faith is not compatible with artistic expression.
But who is to say that artistic expression is not a spiritual calling?
We are meant to reflect the original Artist in all that we do. Our various and diverse gifts and talents are God’s good gifts to us and should be integrated into the life of the church. Don't you think?
“Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17 (KJV)
Let us recognize from
whom gifts and talents have been received and sacrifice them to Him, the
Supreme Creative, so that they will be developed to achieve their fullest
potential.
The season of Lent is a season of sacrifice and offering
ourselves as a living sacrifice includes our creative selves which is infused
into who we are.
God is waiting for us to enter into His Presence, surrendering our praise, our prayers, our thanks, our gifts, our talents and ourselves as
sacrifices unto Him.
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “The Sacrifice of Gifts and Talents” © March
31, 2025
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