Kirsten Kreiling | Faith, Reflection & Growth | May 21, 2018
Genesis 1:27 ESV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. The very first thing that happens in the very first chapter of our Bibles is that God creates. By the end of that chapter, he has created our whole world and placed us in dominion over it. Through the Engage Art contest, we’re aiming to engage with culture, art, and scripture by giving artists a platform to create. Why? Because we were made to be creative. All humanity is made in the image of our astoundingly creative God. Proverbs 22:29 ESV Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. “Wisdom pushes us toward excellence. God has given every man and woman work to do, and they should do that work with excellence as unto God and not only to men.” — David Guzik Exodus 35:31-32 ESV And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze. A beautiful piece of scripture that speaks of the creativity and craftsmanship that we—as image bearers of God—inherently have. We were made to be skillful, intelligent, and knowledgeable, to create art and use the many materials provided by our Creator to show our dedication to Him. You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you! This verse is part of the story of how David instructs Solomon to build the temple. It would clearly require hard work, creativity, and endurance, and the same is still true today for your craftsmanship. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes presents a list of many great events alongside some pretty somber moments. Following that, this verse promises all will be made beautiful in its time. Though it feels tiresome and frustrating now, we have this promise that God will make everything beautiful at the proper time. For the Engage Art Contest, we’re asking you to communicate about the verses in Ephesians 6:10-20 that instruct us how to suit up for the battle between evil and good. As you create your entry, you may want to consider how other verses can inform your skillful work as you seek the Spirit of God and bring your intelligence and knowledge to bear in order to bring glory to God. 
