Creative ways : God's Eternal Fridge Door

Here Colse explores of the idea of creating art as worship to God.

God’s Eternal Fridge Door

I’m not a parent, I never have been and don’t even know if I ever will be but that’s a whole other story for a whole other time. Not now.

Despite that, I think I have some ‘parental instincts’ - aspects that have some similar characteristics maybe. In a lot of ways, I suppose that’s why I spent 12 years pastoring people in and around worship in churches. 

Through that time I’ve seen hundreds of musicians.  Various different styles and songs rise in popularity and fall out of favour. Even more so people come into the team and out of our team. I have seen many different offerings of worship from people - some my preference, others not so much. 

Some that I maybe judged too early, others that turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Through it all, I feel I began to get the smallest sense of how God might look at our worship. 

Imagine a kid at school. That day, as part of an art class, they were asked by their teacher to draw a picture. So, enthusiastically grabbing pencils, crayons and brushes, the kid gets to work. Maybe their tongue hangs out of their mouth. Maybe even a little dribble comes out. All because they are focused. This is their masterpiece!

The class finishes but it seems like a lifetime before the end of school itself. The kid is bursting at the seams and they can’t wait to get home and show off what they’ve done.

Later on in the kitchen at home, the kid rushes up to the parent excitedly trying to get their parent’s attention. 

“Look what I’ve done!”

Let’s pause here.

Let me come back in. If we’re honest - kids drawings are a bit messy. There is no sense of perspective, often they don’t colour within the outlines and anatomical accuracy can vary as heads are always bigger than the bodies.

But that isn’t the point really is it? I mean what kind of parent would chime in with those kinds of comments - it just wouldn’t seem right, would? No. It would seem more likely and more appropriate for the parent to welcome both child and artwork and in some ways - to welcome the artwork because of the child.

A parent’s response will hopefully be more likely one of encouragement and support, not one of judgement or critique. And there’s a reason why. At the heart of it all, the artwork is secondary. 

The important thing is the relationship. The gift, where it comes from and who it goes to.

Things made with love, embody that love. 

Our goal as worshippers is not to create a notion of what we feel is perfection, but to create something that has an honesty of expression. 

A psalm, a shout. A cry, a whoop-whoop. There’s a variety in there but all our worship drawings are and will invariably have an element of imperfection in them.

Of course, that is not to omit the pursuit of the craft, of skill or of excellence but its just a reminder both for a little grace amongst all of our big-headed drawings but to always have in mind who’s fridge they are meant for. 

Not our’s. Not other people’s.

But God’s Eternal Fridge Door.

Colse Leung, worship leader & artist