When We Create

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! – 1 Corinthians 5:17

Elise reached for the sheet of paper that emerged slowly from the printer. She stood tapping her foot and wiggling her fingers as the printer hummed. The sheet dropped into her hand,

“At last,” she muttered.

Sitting down at the table, she placed the final page of her manuscript in place. She leaned back in her chair and gently brushed her hand across the stack of white sheets. A sense of pride and accomplishment crept through her – six months of hard work had finally ended.

Her critique group had read and re-read the book and she felt like she had rewritten it at least four times. Finally, it was complete. The rest was in the hands of her agent. Today, not only marked the conclusion of the book, but the beginning of a long wait, and more so, it meant it was time to consider a new idea.

Writers never really stop writing; even after a project is complete, they continually “tweak” their work. Some call it compulsion, others call it dissatisfaction, either way, a piece of writing is never really done. Those with the love to write tend to follow close in the Father’s example – a story may be written, but it’s never really complete.

Where would we be if once God created us, He considered us completed pieces of work? We would flounder and stray – move without direction. Our lives would be meaningless. However, this is not how our Lord views us. He is constantly working on us, moving in us, “tweaking” us into the perfect piece of work He knows we can be.

Christ writes new stories in young lives and revives old ones into new and vibrant examples. His love for us is constantly presenting a new chapter in our lives. For some, it takes years to pull the storyline together, while for others the words fall into place with ease. Either way, the fact remains that our Lord is always present, longing to add a word here or there. Because of His sacrifice, we are His new creation. The old is gone and the re-written version is yet to finished. Once we’re written, the long wait begins for publication.

As John tells us at the end of his book, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” ( John 21:25) Jesus, the author of our lives, is always working, ever perfecting, and never losing sight of His works in progress.

Prayer: Father, please create us anew, tweak us and perfect us, so that we might be pleasing in Your sight.