Thursday

Creating or Consuming

As I begin to think about worship this weekend, I am reflecting on my role as a consumer and as a creator. I think everyone does both. You eat, you consume. You work, you create. Drive a car? Consume. Paint a room? Create. I think it might be good from time to time to see what the balance is in my life. How much should I create and how much should I consume? Perhaps an even deeper question would be to think about what I consume and what I create. That is the "quality" question.

I do know that our culture bombards us to consume what others have created. When does our culture encourage us to create further from what was created by others instead of just consuming it? Example: Someone creates some clay and I make a pot. Someone designs the web and I develop a blog. Some further creation is happening there. On the other hand, someone creates ice cream and I consume it. No further creation there except around my waist.

God the Father created. He has called us to steward. I do not think that means "maintain." I think it means to further create with what has been given to us. Have a yard? Beautify it. Have a relationship? Cultivate it. How about a brain? Use it to think, and pray. You get the idea. In each of those creations I can see the tendency to just consume. Yard? Relationships? Brain? Just use them without further cultivation and they will atrophy or worse. We are called to further create.

This weekend I am called to create worship for the Lord. I can come as a consumer Sunday or as one who desires to create a fragrant offering, pleasing to Him. He has created and delights in us further creating by using the gifts He has given us.

"Now and future creators." That seems like a great moniker for those who have been created by the great Creator. Worship Well.