“So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”—Genesis 1:27(NLT).
Watching the various birds that visit my feeders throughout the different seasons reminds me of our Creator God. I’m always amazed at the variety in their color, size and shape, even among the same species.
For example, right now, I can see beautiful orioles outside my home office window, dining at a feeder made by my neighbor. The feeder has an overhanging roof to protect the two small plastic containers nestled in the round holes. Each container is filled with grape jelly, a treat for orioles.
The orioles are gorgeous. Some have bright orange chests while others sport a more golden yellow. Even the shapes of their heads and bodies vary. How creative is our God?
He Created Variety in Everything
Ranging in size from tiny hummingbirds to the huge Ostrich and Emu, new research from the American Museum of Natural History suggests there are about 18,000 bird species in the world. That’s nearly twice as many as previously thought. God was on a roll when He created birds, wasn’t He?
Diversity in creation covers a multitude of plant and animal life. Just shop at any plant nursery or visit a botanical garden and you’ll be astounded at the range of choices.
I love planting flowers and shrubs in my beds. This year, I discovered a flowering plant I’d never seen before. It called for full sun. Since most of my yard is shady, I had to place it in an area of my yard receiving more sun throughout the day. Even variety of plants and birds requires differences in their care and feeding.
We Were Created in His Image
Wouldn’t life be boring if everything were the same? What if God had grown tired of creating and decided to make each species the same?
What if we, as humans, were all carbon copies? Wouldn’t that monotonous? It would be like looking in a mirror. However, God not only created man and woman, He even created each of us so distinct that our fingerprints are unique. Why? Because He loves creating.
We are made in His image, created us to be creative. We’re His masterpieces, fashioned by His hands to build, paint, write, cook, design, plant, fashion, perform, advise and so on. We all bring something different, but rare to our world.
He Created Our Inmost Being
My oldest granddaughter is creative in a variety of ways. She taught herself to play the guitar and she can sing. She’s also an excellent artist. In addition, she loves to write stories.
My grandson commented once he didn’t have any talents after his sister played her guitar and sang in a school talent show. I reminded him that God created each of us different. Since Brennan was two-years-old, it’s been obvious his talents lie in the mechanical and engineering field. His mind is always buzzing with ideas for new inventions.
In Psalm 139, David reminds us how God forms each of us lovingly and deliberately. We were not created by accident. God purposefully, planned and designed each of us leading up to our existence. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Fulfilling God’s Purposes
Watch a child create something from cardboard boxes instead of playing with a store-bought toy and you’ll see a sense of satisfaction in their endeavors. It’s why they bring home drawings from school and want you to hang them on the refrigerator.
It’s what keeps us going. Being involved in creating something leads to a happier life. Why? Because that’s the way we were created. Examine your day and week and you’ll discover a sense of fulfillment when you were engaged in a creative activity.
Each of us is unique, a one-of-a- kind, special, limited edition created by a God who has great possibilities for our creativity. When we’re creating, we’re fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives.
I always love hearing from my readers. Please feel free to e-mail me at carol@carolaround.com with your thoughts, or visit my blog for more inspiration at www.carolaround.com. If you need a speaker or workshop leader, you can contact me at the above e-mail or through my website. I’d be delighted to hear from you. Photo credit: Carol Round
