Of  Creators and Creations 

The sun had barely risen, casting a pink hue on the desert countryside. Tops of rocks illuminated by the sunlight contrasted with the surrounding shady areas. Some of the rock formations were reminiscent of large skulls, perhaps not unlike those at Golgotha where Jesus’ crucifixion took place. Walking over stony paths and then through cultivated parks, we marvelled at God’s creation – as well as man’s. Nature had provided the building blocks and people arranged them to create parks and gardens. Even the human ability to think aesthetically, to design, and to bring plans into reality is God given.

According to the biblical record in Genesis, the Creator God sculpted the first man from soil, making him in his image and then breathing life into him. Like God, each person in their unique way is a creator. Endowed with creative abilities, they can produce remarkable works of art and beauty. Often drawing inspiration from nature and utilizing what God created for materials, humans plant picturesque gardens, construct impressive buildings, and develop technological wonders. [1]

On our walk, we were awed by the seemingly ordinary things in nature – the symmetry and magnificence of each date palm; a  desert bush with green fruit in the shape and size of tennis balls; and the shades of green of the palms, wattles, eucalypti, shrubs, plants, and grasses. Also fascinating were the leaf shapes varying from round to oval to heart-shaped to kidney-shaped, to long and narrow, to short and tiny, as well as  the range of  textures – soft, firm, smooth, coarse, hairy, and velvety. Flowers in diverse sizes, shapes, and colours provided splashes of crimson, pink, orange, yellow, and white among the peaceful greenery. What variety, intricacy, and splendour just in the plant kingdom!

The park with its gardens featured shady balustrades, gurgling fountains, and sparkling water pools amid tall trees, trimmed hedges, bright flowers, and neat lawns. Add chirping birds overhead, a friendly cat on the ground, friends chatting on a shady bench, children climbing the playgroundequipment – and the setting is reminiscent of paradise. [2] 

By contrast, other human creations are far-removed from the beauty of the Creator’s handiwork. Ill-designed buildings in drab colours, graffiti-disfigured walls, litter-filled streets, overflowing rubbish containers, noisy traffic, and polluted air offer little serenity and refreshment to the soul. Many suffer in dirt, disease, and deprivation, together with tensions, quarrels, fighting, immorality, and degeneration in environments largely devoid of anything edifying to the human spirit.

The two contrasting human creations – one conducive to health and life, the other to sickness and death – can be analogous of the two distinctive trees in the Garden of Eden. From the Genesis narrative, the tree of life symbolized the way to eternal life and was freely available. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil signified a way of life contrary to the Creator and was forbidden. Although appearing good, it was deceptive, leading humans to suffering and death. The biblical record shows that humankind partook of the latter tree and has therefore acquired both kinds of knowledge – good and evil. This can explain why humans are capable of stunning positive accomplishments as well as unbelievably evil deeds. [3]

In a plan decreed by God in eternity, two other contrasting creations have been allowed to exist side by side – one old and one new. They are two states of the heart.

The first is the natural human heart, also referred to as a heart of stone – a hard, unbelieving heart, of and by itself unresponsive to God. Essentially deceitful, lawless, and blinded to the knowledge of God, it produces what the Bible refers to as the works of the flesh. These deeds includeselfish ambition, idolatry, witchcraft, jealousy, envy, strife, hatred, rage, murder, immorality, debauchery, and drunkenness. Inevitably, the result includes the ugly creation described earlier with its accompanying pain and suffering. [4]

Secondly, the Bible speaks of a new, pure heart. A gradual process of recreating the old heart is underway in some human lives. Through the divine power of the Holy Spirit, God is transforming the stony heart of his people into a heart of flesh capable of understanding the things of God and righteousness. This new heart bears in peoples’ lives the fruit oflove, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. [5] 

The Scriptures reveal that a time is coming when the being fuelling the old deceitful heart – who is described as the god of this world and ruler of the kingdom of the air; who instigated disobedience, sin, hate, and fighting; who is the father of lies and deception; whose aim is to steal, kill, devour and destroy – will be forever banished from influencing humankind. [6] 

       Ultimately, a new creation will shine forth – a new heaven and new earth, where sin, sorrow, crying, and death will be remembered no more. Righteousness, love, joy, beauty, and peace will prevail forever. [7]

       With the eyes of faith, one can catch glimpses of the new creation already today. However its full grandeur awaits us ahead – a time when the people of God will be clothed with immortal, glorified bodies and will have unlocked for them many of the mysteries of life they have wondered about. This is the glorious hope of the ages beyond the sufferings of this life. [8]