God the Artist

So often we think of God as Creator.  He made the Heavens and the Earth and all that we know.  Sometimes I wonder if we stop and think about what this really means.  Even as an artist myself, I hadn’t really stopped long to think about the importance of this until a recent conversation a mentor of mine… 

We were discussing the question of “why did God make us?”  One of the most intriguing questions we tend to ask as people.  (After all, since God knows everything, and that includes His pre-knowledge of the Fall, why would He even go there?)   My mentor introduced me to Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and his "Oration on the Dignity of Man."  This 15th century Renaissance scholar makes an interesting (and perhaps obvious) statement regarding Creation.  My mentor set up this statement best, so here is part of our conversation:

“Before I give you the quote, think of yourself as an artist. You make art and DISPLAY it, right? Why? Because you want people to see it and wonder at it and enjoy it. You want it to bless them, and/or make them reflect and think. Based on this quote, I think Mirandola takes this route. He talks about God creating the heavens and heavenly bodies, and then earth with all its animals. All this prior to man. So why man? Mirandola then explains, "the Divine Artificer [Artist] still longed for some creature which might comprehend the meaning of so vast an achievement, which might be moved with love at its beauty and smitten with awe at its grandeur.”
So Abba made us to observe and wonder and marvel and even imitate the beauties of His creation and creativity! Philip Yancey, commenting on Mirandola's statement said, "To contemplate and appreciate all the rest, to reflect on meaning, to share in the power and exuberance of creativity, to revere and to hallow-these were the roles reserved for the species made in God’s image." I thought that as an artist you would especially appreciate this brief meditation.”

Appreciate it I did! And still do… because it opens my eyes to something that is right in front of me.  The fact that even we as people are God's artwork and He has that same feeling towards us as that an artist has for their work.  Not only are we God's children and He loves us like a father loves his child, but He also loves us like an artist loves his most favorite creation.  

This concept made me reflect on the fact that so often the art I make does not make me happy because it's not perfect (because I'm not perfect), or I see something I want to change... but God IS perfect, so His art is perfect… so He gets perfect enjoyment from it.... wow.  Which means that the same rush of happiness I feel when someone enjoys my work, is shared by my Creator when we appreciate His work, and appreciate each other, and bless one another with our lives.   

Some might ask, “Couldn't angels also serve this purpose of admiring God's art?”  But the answer is no, not to the same extent... Us admiring God’s creation is paramount to creating something expressly for someone specific... when they see it and get the happiness out of it you were hoping for it's so satisfying and joyful.  No other person can satisfy that desire.  God created everything to show us – just like a father shows his children something he knows they will love. 

"Our God is anxious for us to enjoy and relish in His creative beauty, including ourselves,” added my mentor. “We are the only beings He created for this kind of enjoyment it seems. Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, all those heavenly beings, were created for their own purpose, as were the brute beasts which we live with, we know somewhat of the purposes of these other created entities, but not fully. We focus on the fact that we were the ones, the only ones, created for the joyful employment of studying in awe and wonder the glories of the creation. He gave us intellect, emotion, imagination and reason to do it. He gave us an inquiring mind and desire - no unquenchable thirst - for knowledge, and He placed us in a workshop so filled with wonder and mystery and complexity to keep that desire and thirst engaged for a lifetime. This should not only appeal to the artist, but also every natural scientist (cosmologists, biologists, geologists, botanists, etc.) who study earth's mystery and complexity all the time. I like Psalm 111:2 - "The works of the Lord are great, STUDIED by all who have PLEASURE in them." ha! only in God's revelation do you see the words study and pleasure in one breath! So let's indulge ourselves joyfully in its wonder, and gleefully reflect His image.”

Which got me thinking... How sad it is when our society tries to cast a negative light on learning (especially in impoverished neighborhoods). Those who wish to learn are often told what they are doing is "stupid" or "useless". Amazing how the devil tries to get to God in any way he can... It's like preventing a child from looking at a beautiful painting made specifically for him... That must drive the Artist crazy... and make Him very sad.  It's a shame more people don't see study as an "indulgence". It really is. (granted, there are many days where I myself wonder what's the point..) But if we kept the outlook that study is an indulgence, how much more we would learn! We really are capable of learning and knowing much more than we do.

Using this same “artwork analogy”... sin in our lives is like using a piece of art for purposes it wasn't intended for, or adding paint to a canvas that doesn't belong.  It would make me so angry to see my art used in a way that wasn't pleasing to God. If someone had taken a painting of mine, then added something ungodly to it, I would be livid.  

In fact, if someone had done something to that effect, do you know what I would do? Destroy the painting. I would totally burn something I spent hours on making if it meant removing the wickedness. (Kinda reminds me of some stuff in the Bible.... does it you? Consider the Flood.)  Another way to do it would be to gesso the whole thing and start over. (Gesso is a white base coat applied to canvass to give it a "pure" starting point) hmmm... that reminds me of some other stuff in the Bible.... Christ’s death and resurrection that washes away our sin.

My statement above about destroying my work might surprise you.  But keep in mind that burning the painting (especially if I've worked really hard on it and poured myself into it) would kill me. I'd cry as I light the match, but would know that it was necessary because there was no alternative to keep my work of art from defaming my God against my will.

But let’s say I had gessoed the canvass and started over... I would perhaps use an oil based paint to make my "new creation" and then put a clear coat finish on it to provide extra protection. So that if the "sin" came in contact with it afterwards, I could maybe use a water-base cleaner to possibly carefully remove the part that didn't belong.  Just like we as children of God are “new creations” after salvation.   We don’t have to experience God’s wrath when we allow sin to contact us… but instead are protected by Christ’s sacrifice, and are able to be carefully cleaned of our sin by God the Artist’s careful correcting.

We often hear how God’s love is like that of a father’s (only that His love is perfect).  But rarely do we hear how His love is like an artist’s.  As someone who in not yet a parent, the “fatherly” love is often only understandable from a child’s perspective.  I’ve personally understood glimpses of it when taking care of children not my own, when my heart would care for them and protect them.  But as an artist, I can fully appreciate the “artist” love described.  I can relate to that very well, (knowing full-well that my vision on that love is so incredibly limited and fallible compared to His).  It gives me an unspeakable awe when I consider the Creator’s love for His creation – you and me.

I can only imagine how I will yet again be awestruck by God’s love when the day comes that I am myself a parent, and then stand in amazement at the inconceivable love our Heavenly Father has for us, His children.  So the next consideration is this: in how many other ways does God love us that we have yet to even realize…

My mentor is also known on the Lift Your Voice radio show as "Doc H."  I highly recommend reading some of his other writings on the LYV blog here.