Our Creative, Present God
Do you remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy sheepishly enters the room to meet the wizard? His large glowing face appears, flames and smoke loudly shoot up from the floor, and his angry voice commands respect. Dorothy bows in fear, shaking while begging for help. However, during her second visit, her little dog Toto pulls back a curtain to reveal the cowardly human behind the theatrics. The “wizard” is a facade. He has no actual power at all, and he’s hiding the truth behind his clever creations. His lie is controlling the Land of Oz, and this regular man from Nebraska has no actual power.
One of my favorite Scripture passages is the beginning of Isaiah 6. Isaiah is trying to describe his vision of God’s presence in the temple. The space cannot contain God’s holiness, and his clothing is even too much to handle. The hem of his robe fills the space, and I imagine it running along the wall, wrapping Isaiah in its presence. Seraphim are constantly worshiping God and causing the whole place to shake and fill with smoke. God’s presence alone, before he speaks a word, causes Isaiah to call out, “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isa 6:5). No theatrics at play here.
There is no cowardly man behind a curtain when we meet God. He’s not hiding anything. He created everything! His character and abilities are constantly on display with the rising and setting of the sun, the spring blooms, and the winter wonderlands. He also lives in and through each of us, his redeemed children. And, of course, we have his Word, written in various forms from poetry to letters to historical documentation. God is prominently on display!
But God the Father still sent his only son Jesus to the cross to redeem his creation. And at that moment… a curtain that separated God’s holiness from our sinfulness was ripped open, giving us direct access to him. This was no creative fairytale passed down from generation to generation, though it seems too good to be true. This moment wasn’t a Hollywood blockbuster, though the depth and breadth of what was happening was more climactic than any Marvel film. This event was beyond anyone’s wildest imagination or creative storytelling, even though it had been promised by prophets. It stands as the most important moment in the meta-narrative of the Bible and the history of God’s Mission through his Church today.
Does it get any more creative than that? Humanity has been trying to put this story into our own words for centuries, discussing and disagreeing on the how, what, and why, and trying to wrap our tiny, creative brains around the reality of Jesus and God’s promise.
I believe that the gift of art allows us to capture this truth more fully and deeply, at times, than a sermon or a textbook. As we allow God’s Word to come alive in music, poetry, painting, or film, we open our hearts to how God works in and through us in this broken, hurting world that is waiting for his return, when “[he] will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). That, I believe, is the power of art. Art can capture the gospel in ways that speak directly to the heart and help viewers and listeners understand this broken life, God’s love, and his redemption promise in a fresh and significant way. The stories in this issue show how this can happen and how God is working in and through the artists in our churches.
I ask you to look around and find ways to disciple and encourage the artists in your congregation. And can I give you some advice? Don’t try to control their environment or their creations, but ask meaningful questions and give them space to explore and create. God has gifted them with these artistic abilities, and your church has an incredible opportunity to serve as their place of discipleship and growth.
Tim Mathiesen is the Director of Communications & Prayer for the Church of the Lutheran Brethren.