And Moses said to the Israelites, See, the Lord called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and wisdom, with intelligence and understanding, and with knowledge and all craftsmanship, To devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze… – Exodus 35:30-32, Amplified Bible (AMP)

One day in 1886, Rev. Carl Boberg was visiting a town along the coastline of Sweden when he decided to take a walk. Not long after he began his trek, he was caught in a vicious thunderstorm. Thunder, lightning, and heavy rains engulfed him, and the ocean in front of him heaved violently to and fro. Rather than be full of fear, Rev. Boberg became filled with wonder as he witnessed the awesome magnificence of God’s creation. Then, as suddenly as the storm had started, it stopped. Sunshine, clear air, and chirping birds replaced the ferocious weather he had witnessed just moments before. Overwhelmed by both the power and the peacefulness of God, Boberg dropped to his knees and praised God for His goodness and mercy.

Not long after his walk along the beach, Boberg penned a poem to express His awe of God. Some years later, someone put the poem to music, and by the mid 1930s the song had traveled from Sweden to Russia. Then, Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Hine, missionaries from England to the country of Russia, learned the song and began using it in their ministry. When World War II drove them from Russia back to England, the Hines translated Boberg’s work into their native tongue, thus giving the hymn How Great Thou Art to the English-speaking world.

God created us in His image, and one of the traits He has given us is a version of His power to create. When He moves us to create something in worship of Him – a poem, a song, a painting, a business, a machine, a mission work, etc. – we do wrong if we cast the notion aside. Had Rev. Boberg thought it a silly thing to pen a poem, then millions would have never been blessed by the hymn How Great Thou Art. Even if he had never shared his poem with others, one soul – his own – would have suffered. Why? When we create something for God’s glory, the act of creation brings us in closer communion with our Creator. Whether or not anyone else ever sees or appreciates what we create, God sees it and appreciates it, and He does so because He knows we made it for Him. If we don’t engage in the creative act that He has prompted us to take, then we will miss out on the sweet communion with Him that we could have enjoyed.

Often, we ignore the impulse to create because of laziness, pride, slothfulness, or thinking some other activity is more worth our time. Don’t be so short-sighted. If you feel an overwhelming burden to create something for God’s glory, do it, no matter how silly you may think it is. God doesn’t think it’s silly; He thinks it’s precious. Otherwise, He would not have laid it on your heart to make. Take the time to create that which you know will please your Heavenly Father, for when you do, you will draw closer to Him. And, you never know; your creation may even bring a world of believers closer to Him as well.