Wednesday 19th March

Im watching a programme about the Vikings.   I have always been fascinated by history, archaeology, the ancient past.   And one of the things which amazes me most is the level of artistry that really quite primitive cultures were able to work into their metal and stone artefacts.   On my television screen right now is a tenth century iron axe-head inlaid with a beautiful pattern in silver and gold.   Its not just the fact that ancient peoples were able to create such beautiful things with very little technology which is astounding.  Its the fact that they would have bothered to take the immense amount of

time and effort to do it.   Why decorate your axe with such beauty?   Why make jewellery for yourself when you lived the life of a hunter gatherer?   Why bother to decorate your cooking pots with rich stamped patterns when you were living a subsistence life?

I suppose the answer has to be that man is created to be a creator.  In the image of God we are made - and He is the first and supreme creator.  Everything from our DNA to the stars and galaxies and all of nature was His idea.  So I suppose its not surprising that we, who are made in His image, would also be creative.   It would appear from the earliest cave paintings that mankind has wanted and needed to express his creativity through art and making things.  And not just making things which are useful, but making things which are wonderful.

People have always used their skills to make their worlds more beautiful.   Today there are people living on rubbish dumps in Paraguay who are making violins out of scrap metal and forming orchestras out of junk instruments so that they can make music in the midst of squalor.  http://www.improvisedlife.com/2012/12/10/in-a-poor-village-classical-instruments-made-from-trash
In middle class homes up and down the land we cover our walls with paintings and our beds with woven throws and our bodies with jewellery and make up.   We have an inbuilt desire to add colour and texture - but more than this, we also have a need to use our skills in order to be creative.

Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: ( Ex 31; 1-6)

God loves ' all kinds of crafts'.   He loves knitting and baking and calligraphy and photography.  He loves embroidery and musical composition and collage and fine art.  Silversmithing and pottery and woodwork and tatting.  He loves all of it .    I think it is interesting that in the passage in Exodus when the Tabernacle is being kitted out that God gives ' ability' to workers who are already considered skilled at their trade.   People had
trained and learned and worked hard to become skilled...... but then when God asked them to use their skills specifically for Him He gave them ability.  Perhaps it was the ability to work long and hard to get the job done.  Or perhaps it was the ability to think more creatively than usual.  We talk about people having ' God given talent'  - more often than not I think God takes the skills and talents we have learned and worked hard to achieve and then adds an extra sparkle at the crucial moment.  Just to make us look good :-)

So this Lent why not take a stock check of your skills and talents.  Are there things which need to be brought out of the cupboard and dusted down?  Skills you have not kept sharp?  Talents which are not being used?   If you have put in the work over the years to develop a skill in an area of creativity why not commit this Lent to use that skill to the best of your ability.  Submit it to God and ask Him to give you increased ability.  He would love to.  He really enjoys what you do.

Lord,  I thank you that You are creator and you have made me in your image.  You love it when I do the things Im good at.   Today I want to thank you for the skills I have learned over the years.  Forgive me for neglecting things which I used to enjoy .  Help me to use all my creative gifts to bless others and to bless you.  Together perhaps we can make ,cook, sing, play, paint, craft something wonderful.   Amen