How Does God Shepherd Creatives?

How does God shepherd creatives? I ask this a lot.

David was one of the most creative, passionate, versatile servants of God. 

Whether by gifting or necessity, creativity marked him. He creatively engaged needs with courage as a servant. He became more skillful in the art of it as he went...whether with a harp, songwriting, leadership, architectural vision, war tactics, speech, and even in his sin, etc. Joy rode deep because he learned to trust God in the turns and hold the unknown with the long view. 

The more complexity, the deeper the simplicity.

God stirred David’s heart in worship, convicted him in truth, and that centered his course. David prayed and watched God open and close tracks. He developed through what was in front of him and God patiently shaped the vision. 

I don’t know what came first: David’s creative songs, innovative enemy tactics, creative leadership, expressive worship, architectural vision, etc. But it started at the heart level. 

God put His Spirit inside an overlooked shepherd boy. God chose him before man’s options were even proposed in a lineup. Don’t move past that too quick. His Spirit was at work in that.

Wisdom existed before anything was created on earth (Prov. 8). God was creative first, not man. Note that the way He kicked things off was gazing into a void and speaking light...as if He was hinting at what was to come. God has an incredible way of surfacing man’s heart while revealing His own.

God captivated David’s heart, drew him out and began to sharpen him with lions, brothers, slingshots, kings, friends, caves, sons, His Word, Nathans, intimacy, wonder and sunrise.

If you want to see how God shepherded, just follow God’s tracks through David’s songs. 

David didn’t have a typical portfolio for the positions he held. Mostly he just showed up and was willing to do what no one was doing even if it was from a different angle. God put that in him.Yet he fought many battles outside and within before he stepped on a battlefield or a throne...because he faithfully cared for sheep. It shaped the way he saw how to engage. 

And God knew that even from the beginning. 

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” - Psalm 78:72