You alone are the Lord.
You alone made heaven, even the heaven of heavens, with all their forces.
You made the earth and all that is on it, and the seas and all that is in them.
You preserve them all, and the heavenly forces worship you. Nehemiah 9:6
These days it can be so easy to fall into being a “Negative Nellie” so at the end of each day I reflect on where the blessings have been by answering these two questions. Where have I seen God’s work happening today? Where have I felt God’s presence? Each day brings different answers to my questions but there has been one reoccurring theme that comes up. People are creative. God is the creator of new things and I many times see God in people’s creativity to clear the newest hurdle that COVID has placed in their paths.
Just a few days ago I had the opportunity to take a webinar with other leaders in the church looking ahead to the Advent season wondering how we will prepare and celebrate the birth of Jesus in these times. The creative ideas were flowing…pop up pageants, ornament exchanges, delivering candles to homes for the candlelight service.
Zoom has allowed our youth to continue to meet weekly throughout the summer but with the start of the new school year, which means even more time on Zoom, it was time to conquer the next hurdle. Is there another way we can meet and still be safe? Well if you bring technology outside, you can bring people together in person with those still at home.
God is showing up in all parts of the world not just in the church. Look at the creativity of the NBA. They have created an entire bubble in which they can all be together and play the game of basketball and today I learned the rock band, Metallica, will be performing live in a drive-in concert. We have had drive-by birthdays and graduations. Parking lots have been turned into restaurants. Creativity abounds. God is all around us in the ordinary of our lives. God continues to make things new when we use the creative gifts that God has given us.
Creator God, we don’t always see Your work being done when we get caught up in the negative thinking that we can sometimes fall into. Please forgive us. Creator you have given us creative minds that help us to clear the hurdles that life throws into our paths. Thank you for this gift. We pray that we can use this gift to do your work in the world so that others will feel Your presence. Amen
Marty