How God Creates

by Bethany Stedman

As I sat with the tangled threads of yarn slipping through my fingers, untangling yet another knot, so that I could roll it into a ball and make something hopefully beautiful out of it, I thought to myself, “This is how God creates.”

God creates by making order out of chaos.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 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.” Genesis 1

As I watched children making mud pies out of the dirt, unafraid to make a mess, unafraid to make a mistake, I thought to myself, “This is how God creates.”

God’s not afraid to get his hands dirty or stoop down amidst the mess.

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” John 1 (The Message)

As I pulled out strand after strand of yarn to start knitting a scarf over yet again, I thought to myself, “This is how God creates.”

God’s not afraid to start over.

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Isaiah 65

As I scrolled through my friends beautiful etsy shop, where every stunning product is made from that which had once been discarded, I thought to myself, “This is how God creates.”

And As I walked through a new interactive art exhibit made entirely from trash and watched my son experience each of the senses through things that were essentially garbage, I thought to myself, “This is how God creates.”

God creates by making new vessels from old. God creates by making beauty from ashes. God creates by taking broken people and making them his children.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of the vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Ephesians 5

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2

As I lay in the doctor’s office and heard the heartbeat of the new babe within, and contemplate the last time I had heard that strange sound, I think to myself, “This is how God creates.”

God creates by making one flesh from two. God creates in intimate proximity to his creation.

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Genesis 2

“If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there…For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you.” Psalm 139

I am created in the creative image of God. So, does my creativity look like God’s creativity?

Do I create order or do I create chaos?
When I create am I afraid to get my hands dirty? Am I afraid to create something that’s “not good”?
When I create am I too lazy or fearful or impatient to start over?
Do I create beauty from ashes or ashes from beauty? Do I use the resources I already have no matter how limited or am I too quick to throw things away?
Do I create unity or division when I create?
Do I fully enter into the creative process, getting to know and love my creations intimately, as a mother birthing a child?
Do I create in the image of my creator?

Rejoicing in the journey –
Bethany Stedman