It’s not about us.
When we create for the Lord, it is at least in part an act of worship. Musician Michael Card in his book Scribbling In the Sand, quotes a man named Bill Lane who once said, “True Worship is a response to hearing God’s Word.” Card goes on to speak about creativity, by saying “Creativity is worship insofar as it is, at its essence, a response. I hear the word and I respond with music, with silence in adoration.” I could not agree with this sentiment more and as artists and creatives in the church, we need to realize that we create in response to our Creator. We see His goodness and it makes us want to create things of beauty and things that will help others to connect to our Creator, as if we were literally (pardon the slight pun) drawing people into worship. Our creations are not objects of worship, they are acts of worship and there is a huge difference.
Keeping our attitudes in check is very important as we seek to serve the Lord with our creativity. Michael Card in the same book, speaks to the accusing voices he sometimes faces as he seeks to create. He writes, “One of the most irritating accusations the voiceI mentioned before can whisper is, ‘Do you think you’re some kind of celebrity?’ By definition a celebrity is someone we celebrate. I looked it up. Just above the listing for celebrity, I saw another word, celebrant. A celebrant is described as someone who officiates at the eucharist. A celeb rant is focused on Jesus and His sacrifice. Interesting contrast.”
From this Card concludes, “Today I choose to be a celebrant. By God’s enabling grace I will hold up Jesus before the world and not hold myself up.I will seek to respond to His extravagant love by any and all means possible.I will strive to create art that will communicate to the world, and most especially to Him, how much I love and long for His presence.” The work we create then, is all about Him to be used to His glory and not to ours. If we handle this properly, we will lose a lot of the ego driven struggles many in the arts face. It’s not about us and it’s not really about our art. Our art is an act of worship, pointing others to the object of our worship, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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