Creativity in Common with God

The word "creative" is very popular among liberal and progressive Christians, these days. I find myself tossing it around right and left in sermons, essays, newsletter articles, and daily conversation. It is easy to forget, however, that this is a powerful word. Think of it this way: "create-ive," as in the power or ability to create. In the Christian tradition, this is what we imagine God doing. God creates. And here we are talking all the time about being creative, ourselves. Perhaps this is where we find our deepest connection with the Divine. In the beginning of the Bible, it isn't long before we see God creating humanity. The scriptures say that in some way, we are made in the image of God. Theologians have debated for centuries and centuries over what this might mean. As I read the story, the only thing God has really done up until the point that humanity is brought into existence is CREATE. This is who God is in those opening chapters of Genesis, the Creator. Perhaps the image of God in us is creativity. If so, then perhaps we should think very seriously and responsibly about the things we are creating, the situations we help make, and the relationships we forge. After all, this is the sort of thing that God does.