Created in whose image??

To me, creativity is one of the most interesting subjects. Since we are made in God’s image, we have a capacity for creativity, yet how does that work out in our lives? What are the possibilities?

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26–27)

With God is Creator, our creative endeavors can be linked to godliness, be a blessing to others, and even glorify God, particularly in our stewardship of our world. However, because of humanity’s fall into sin, our creativity can also be destructive and even mock our Maker. Sin is our limitation when it comes to creativity.

I’m made in the image of God but can barely fathom this in terms of ‘how am I like Him?’ Even more of a mystery is that the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead — how am I like the Holy Spirit?

Tozer says the Holy Spirit brings new things into being. He is “forever giving out and setting in motion, forever making ‘all things new.’ Wherever He is at work, the effects will be creative rather than conservative, though we should know that He also conserves whatever He creates.”

This phrase about conserving what He creates grabs my attention. Tozer adds, “To create and not conserve would be to waste the creative act. But the whole psychology of the Spirit is toward the creation of new things rather than toward the cautious preservation of what has been created.”

As an artist and a writer, this describes much of how I think about what I’ve created. I don’t want to throw any of it in the trash (except what obviously belongs there 😊) and at the same time I’m always drawn to create new things. The urge to design and build is so strong that I’ve had to discipline myself to do the ‘necessities’ like making meals, eating, getting enough sleep, and building relationships. I could stay in my studio all day, without outside contact, and be quite happy.

If I think of the Holy Spirit in terms of His creativity, those biblical descriptions of what He does become fascinating. He puts energy into His work. Books are written on this, so I list only a few: convicting the world of sin, pointing us to Christ, giving us new life, living in believers, setting us free from the power of sin, giving us assurance and comfort, opening our eyes and teaching us about spiritual things, forming Christ in us, enabling obedience, producing spiritual fruit, and praying on our behalf.

The Spirit of God does these and more in the lives of every person who believes in Jesus Christ (millions) and even some of it in the hearts of those who do not believe (billions). He is busy! Not only that, each act of creativity is unique and suited to the situation involved. One small example: two of us read a Bible verse and He speaks to us according to our need (rhema) in two different ways, yet both applications are just right.

The creativity of the Holy Spirit brings life, hope, love, peace and a host of other blessings. To think that I have been made in His image blows me out of the water! I am humbled and magnified, feel small and yet feel vital and important. To be open to the work and power of the Holy Spirit just in my creative life gives me a sense of awe. He is here, ready to enable, ready to teach, ready to give me all that I need to do all that He wants me to do.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I am blessed to know that one day I will be like You. Today, I am also blessed to realize I’m also created like the Holy Spirit and one day, when sin is finally eradicated, I will be like Him also, for that is how You created me. This understanding is giving me goose bumps, and an increased desire to yield myself to all that You want for me and from me. Wow, what a God You are!