"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"(Genesis 1:1).
God created all this. Why? Why on earth (no pun intended) did somebody so powerful (and He is powerful) make all of this for us? When he could have made everything look like Nevada*, why did he add variety to the face of it and call it good?
My guess is this: He loves us.
I am grateful for the beauty of this planet. For those sunsets that seem like they were meant just for me. I'm grateful for the beaches, the mountains and the trees. Especially those evergreen trees - that help me to look up and remind me to aspire to be higher and remember Him.
"The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, and all things that are on the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44).
I am so grateful that He loves us enough to trust this place to us.
In my study of the creation, I am pondering the depth of this action. Maybe there is more to it than this. Maybe Christ, through the direction of our loving Heavenly Father (Moses 1:33), did not create this planet and all that is in and around it merely for our enjoyment and our occasional marveling. Though His creations certainly merit our joy, wonder and awe.
In that same first chapter of the Bible, we learn that we were made in God's image:
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26).
God, the creator of all things, not only created us to appreciate what he has created, but to (like him) create. And maybe that's part of why we're here. To learn how to create.
I'm not just talking about having children here, though that is certainly part of it. But God did not create just us - his children. He created light, mountains, deserts, fish, bugs, sunsets, planets. Just look around you. He created it all.
I believe we have a divine potential to create. We are meant to make this place more beautiful, interesting, varied. We are meant to call into existence something that wasn't there before.
We all have some creativity in us. We got it from our Father in Heaven.
I haven't been feeling especially creative lately. I spend most of my days sitting at a desk editing inspection reports. I'm certainly not calling into existence anything that wasn't there before. This is tough for me. As a theatre graduate, I was pretty lucky to have the opportunity to create on a daily basis - without having to step outside my normal routine. But I know I can find a new way to weave creativity into my life. I'm determined to explore my divine potential as a creative being. So, I hope to share with you, in the coming weeks, the beginnings of my creative quest.
What are you creating? How has exploring your creative side affected your relationship with The Creator?
* I apologize to Nevada. I've driven through Nevada enough times to truly believe it is the armpit of the world. But, I'm sure there is beauty there. In fact I honeymooned in Stateline, Nevada. But that's pretty much California. I am happy for you if you find Nevada beautiful. Somebody ought to.
