We are wonderfully and awesomely made in the image and likeness of God, according to Scripture. No where is that more clearly evidenced than in the natural creativity of human beings.
While God originated the sunset, artists reinterpret it; songwriters use it metaphorically; westerns use it to represent the end of the story, and so on.
God invites us to create together, and those who respond with "Yes!" begin adventures that change their lives and the lives of others for the better. Some become well-known, others remain anonymous, but their influence is felt in both cases.
You and I are invited to co-create our lives with God. Because we have free will, we can choose to co-create without God, but no one creates alone. We are all influenced by some source, perhaps the opinions of our parents, or the perspectives of our friends, or the influence of unexamined feelings, or the stimulus of chemicals, or the directions of a person we have positioned as our superior.
In other words, if we don't choose to co-create with God, our life will be co-created by someone else. If we don't understand our role is to participate in that creation, then we will wind up living someone else's life as our own.
I prefer to co-create with God. That sounds idealistic and rosy, but it means there are times when we (God and I) have to dismantle the work others have done in my life, and rebuild according to the original blueprints, not by the shortcuts or alterations someone else created.
Simply put, it requires work and dedication and willingness. When I discover I am not on-track, I need to notice it and get back on-track.
If I see this effort as a part-time job, and I only work with God when I punch the clock and then leave God's influence behind at the end of my work day, it will take a lot longer to get things done. On the other hand, if I pray and meditate and stay centered on God, it is much easier.
In my training as an endurance athlete learning how to run long distances, my focus is on a variety of checkpoints. How is my posture? How is my stride? How is my foot strike? Are my shoulders relaxed? Are my IT bands flexible? Am I breathing well? Am I leaning into the hills? Am I letting myself recover on the downhill runs? The more I pay attention to these things, the better and farther I can run. I learned them from the Coach who is helping to co-create me as a runner. From spending time with him, the lessons become intuitive. To those around me, I look like a runner now.
Likewise, from spending time with God, the lessons become intuitive. As I internalize the guidance and directions that God gives me, I look more and more to those around me like someone who is co-creating a life with God.
How is my posture? Is it humble and grateful? How is my stride? Is it joyous and confident? How is my foot strike? Is it sure and directed? Are my shoulders relaxed, or am I too preoccupied with carrying my burdens and not giving them to God? Are my IT bands flexible? Am I ready to go in the direction I am told? Am I breathing well? Am I inhaling Spirit and allowing it to generate life within me? Am I leaning into the hills? Am I willing to take on the parts of this road that climb and offer challenges? Am I letting myself recover on the downhill runs? Am I laughing with God and offering praise?
Someone or something is going to co-create your life with you. Will it be God?
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