When I was growing up, I tried out so many different hobbies from karate to football, running to Scouts, fencing to cricket. Then when I was 14, I realised that music existed…I started to listen to a band called Switchfoot…and that was me hooked. My mum bought me their latest album ‘Learning To Breathe’ and I suddenly decided I wanted to learn the guitar.

However, when I presented the idea to my mum and dad, they were reluctant to shell out the funds to buy me a guitar (I had the habit of beginning something and losing interest pretty quickly)…amidst a garage filled with running spikes and football boots, cricket pads and tennis balls, there probably wasn’t much more room to fit an un played guitar…I kept up the interest though, and 6 months later I received a Fender acoustic guitar for my 14th birthday!-best day of my life up to that point!!

Since then I have put in hours and hours of practice, on learning chords and scales, and finger picking techniques. However, no-one ever told me to do this; I did it because I wanted to. There was a drive in me to be creative.

We are all creative beings. We have been made a masterpiece by the master craftsman, the artist of our lives, we have been made in the image of the living God, and as such we are all born with the ability to create, and create for His glory!

We can argue that there are “creative” people, and then just ordinary run of the mill people that get on with life and are not “creative”…but that’s simply not true. We are artists not robots.

We have a mind that we can use to think, and imaginations that we dream with, and hands that put things together, vocal cords that vibrate producing sounds, taste buds that can discern what is pleasant and ears to hear a beautiful melody.

We are not machines, but we are artists made in the image of the great artist himself, Jesus.

When we create, we are reflecting the image of the one who created us. What talents have you got? What are your gifts from God? How can you use these talents and grow them so that you are reflecting the image of the Lord Jesus to a world that needs to see him?

What are you creating? Are you creating amazing meals for the enjoyment of others, or crafting an immense garden from scratch? Are you creating a community that welcomes people into the church, or are you singing your heart out in praise to God even though you don’t think you can sing? Read though The Parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 and ask God where do you fit, how can you serve God, and how can you reflect the Great Artist throughout your life?