“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev 4:11
This devotion is intended especially for the children in our church family.
When I was a child, my brothers and I liked to make things. My dad set up a small work bench in our basement and we built all kinds of stuff. We had a small scroll saw and a book of little wood projects. We would use carbon paper to trace the plans on to small scraps of wood, cut, glue, and nail them together, and then paint them. We loved to paint, and painted mostly ourselves and then some on the wood. We made all kinds of crafts and a huge mess at the same time. It was a blast! I still have a chisel mark in my thumb and it reminds me of those work shop days. Parents, don’t let your children use a chisel.
My small friends in our church, do you like making things, too? How about coloring or gluing, or drawing? Are you musical and play an instrument? How about Legos or blocks? My brothers loved these too. Do you like to read? Not me and brothers, but many of you do. Do you like to garden and work outside? I think sand castles and wood forts are very cool as well, but not mud pies. Do you like to cook? My brothers and I liked to eat, but not cook. There are so many ways that we can be creative.
Did you know, that every time you do some type of creative activity, you in some small way, are reflecting a fundamental aspect of who God is - God as Creator? “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1). God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it out of nothing. That’s a lot of stuff to make and he didn’t need a single chisel! Genesis also says that God created different things for six days in a row, and after each day God said that what he created was “good.” It was good because it came from him and he is good. Have you ever made something and then said, wow, that is so cool? God has a lot of those moments in his creating. Read Genesis 1 and 2 with your parents to check it out.
God created the world, and you and me, so that we might glorify Him which in part means to make much of Him. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power”. So, when you show off your creativity, it is a good thing to think about God as your creator and to thank Him. And after you are done with your activity, if you made a mess, clean it up. This pleases your parents and God, too.
Prayer: Our heavenly Father, thank you for creating this world and for creating us. Thank you for giving us so many ways that we can reflect your creativity as we make and do things. Today, help us to give thanks for everything that happens and especially for you. Amen