created to create

I recently photographed this street art near my favorite art gallery…the Perrotin.

Its three word phrase in French – Créé pour créer (created to create) touches the very soul of what, to me, life is about….what this blog is all about…both spirituality and creativity.

•  creéé/created…we HAVE been created by a creator…the Creator. We have been “skillfully and wonderfully made” as the Psalmist said (Psalm 139). We are not accidents. Like a painter who carefully crafts each canvass even though each may be similar, each is unique, each is personally invested in by the artist.
• pour/to…the simplest of prepositions – directional, forward, leading toward something…and event, a reason, a goal.
• créer/create…we are to create – we were designed to be designers…made to make something out of this life we have been handed. It doesn’t have to be “art” – it doesn’t mean you should go to art school – it can be life…create life from this life you’ve been given….be creative with what what you have…what you’ve got…what you are passionate about. Create with it! Back to the Psalmist again…he often said “Sing a new song to the Lord”. I don’t think this has anything to do with songs or singing new vocal repertoire. I think it means….do something new…stand up and improvise…give me something new…follow my lead….create something!  Put all of your passion and experience and knowledge and wisdom and giftedness into a pot, stir it around, give it time, and watch something new emerge.

I really enjoyed the German opera, Mathis der Mahler (Mathias, the Painter) by Hindemith. At the climax of the work, Mathias is confused with all of the war, pain and misery around him. In a vision, he asks St. Paul what he should do with his life…and the response: GO AND CREATE!

So, go yourself and create. Whatever your passion is: shake it up, spin it around, fuse it together, and let something new evolve from it — create something. You were created to create…don’t just read the phrase…go and create!