Creativity Parts The Waters Of Chaos

front-light-squigglesOne of the most vital ideas that rumbled in our Masters program these past weeks was the idea that creation, and creativity, parts the waters of chaos and brings order.

We remember the scene at the beginning of creation, where the waters above are separated from the waters below, and creative order comes to the world we call home. The “waters” have always represented, for the Hebrews, chaos and tumult. We see these same views of the “waters” in Babylonian lore (Enuma Elish) and other ancient near eastern visions of the world.

Our exploration called us to see God’s creative activity as a “chaos stiller,” a necessary ordering of that which is in disarray. As creative leaders, our own creativity can “part the waters” that surround us and others, and lead us to a place of peace and ordering.

As I personally worshipped and prayed playing the keyboard this morning, my prayers found their way to surface, and I was reminded once again of God’s nearness in my seasons of painful growth.

AVAILABLE WHEREVER YOU BUY BOOKS

Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

Sheltering Mercy, along with its companion volume, Endless Grace, helps us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms—through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns—as a guide to personal devotion and meditation.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. This book contains 75 prayers drawn from Psalms 1-75, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning in the Psalms. Each prayer is a response to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life.

This artful, poetic, and classic devotional book features compelling custom illustrations and foil-stamped hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms.