Free on the Streets: Seeing the World DifferentlySample

# Creative Expression Lance Mountain READY: “So God created man in his own image;”—Genesis 1:27 SET: As skateboarders, we find ourselves drawn to something very creative, whatever we see it as—an activity, hobby, sport, lifestyle, or just fun. Most say that it first interests us because we have the freedom to create, explore, add to it, and come up with new ways of doing things. Styles and influences that we can witness friends responding to. This gives us a great sense of accomplishment to see skateboarders following our version, finding belonging, showing, and getting praise from ones we hold in high esteem. For some, it even becomes our profession, where our job is to inspire and bring attention to us as the ones to follow. This creative passion can lead to being prideful or blind to the real and only true creator. On display, skateboarding promises all kinds of fun and freedom: "Do whatever you want," "Get all you can," "Do it your way," "No one can tell us what to do," and "Chase every pleasure," but it has the potential to end in tragedy. Let's not be blinded by any fun, cool creative endeavors, as if we have more to offer than the one whose image we were created in. Any human's accomplishment is only a minute representative of the One who made it all from nothing. God, because of His infinite love that cost him it all on the cross, deserves all our glory and our praise, and it is for our protection. What will it do to us if our gravestone, which will crumble away over time, has a list of our creative achievements written on it? What does praise look like? We are increasingly living in times when we are offered, “This is what God meant by that.” Instead of Christ, the world will offer what sounds and feels like a better, more loving way. A lot of creative expression is sold as “challenge the norm, do as you will, question authority.” Christ asks us to follow Him. The evil one will not ask us to follow; we already are. He will challenge us to doubt the truth of God's Word. He will try to have us question God's authority. Our creator, the truth, can always handle being questioned; He is the answer. Gaining all our dreams and desires at all costs, then giving a heads-up to God at some awards speech? Or is it a confession of wrong, repentance, reconciliation with our creator and others, obedience, abiding in the Lord through His word, prayer, and fellowship? By His grace and mercy, by the power of His Spirit. Walking and living in a way to draw whoever (His created ones) He puts before us to the cross. GO: 1\. Can we chase after our creative dreams do our best job at it and be obedient to the Lord? 2\. How does making sure my creative desires take their rightful place? 3\. What does giving God the glory look like in my life? 4\. Who do I have around me to hold me accountable in this independent creative skateboarding? WORKOUT: Colossians 3:23 Matthew, 16:26 Isaiah 1:18 Colossians 1:15-18 OVERTIME: Thank you Lord for life and all you have given, You have created all things for your glory. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that you may lead us in all creative endeavors to put you on display by word and deed giving you your rightful glory, being obedient and abiding till the end, in Jesus' name, amen. Author Bio: Lance Mountain has been a skateboarder since 1974.