Why do you create?

Personally, I need some kind of motivation to create something. I have no desire to simply create something for the simple sake of creation. Sure it’s fun to create but then what?

God’s first act in human history was to create. “In the beginning God created…” (Gen. 1:1) Why did God create? Was he just having a good day, feeling in the mood to make something? The rest of the passage tells us: “ … the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep…” Could it be that God was aware of the emptiness and darkness and had the desire to bring form and light to this vastness?

So, why do I create? Am I aware of the darkness and emptiness in the world? Could it be that my little bit of creation can bring a bit of light; a bit of form into the world? I believe that the motivation to make something beautiful must come from an awareness of the lack of light; lack of form in some area.

It is interesting that most artists are highly sensitive. Sometimes this looks like selfishness; a desire to be understood by a world that often misunderstands them. I believe God gives this heightened sensitivity to artists so that they may become aware of areas of darkness and formlessness in thier world. My word to the artist: Do you see the formlessness? Do you see the darkness? Rather than crying about being misunderstood, take that sensitivity and begin creating something. Bring some form into the world; bring some light into the world. This is what it is all about for the artist: creating form that brings light.

Does the form you create bring some light into your world?