Two Ways to See God & Creation
-An exclusive excerpt from Allen’s new book-
How you view the creation story in Genesis will have a huge impact on your creativity.
Is it primarily a lesson in how things came to be? Is it data to process and master, or a dance that we can enter into with the Creator as we get to know his heart? Those are two radically different ways to view God and creation.
Throughout Scripture, God seems far more interested in growing relationships than teaching lessons.
The stories of the Bible weren’t simply morality lessons. They were stories of real people like Abraham, Moses, David, Rebekah, Daniel, Esther, Joseph, Mary, and Peter. When we distill their stories to lessons, we sell them—and ourselves—short. The point of David’s life wasn’t just to help us learn to face our giants. The point of Peter’s life wasn’t simply to show we can walk on water. Those were two experiences they had among thousands. And through them all, God was inviting them into greater faith, intimacy, and union. As he is in our stories.
After Jesus’ resurrection, he didn’t come back to teach a lesson. Look at how he chose to spend his first moments. In an intimate conversation with Mary in the garden outside his tomb. Walking with those grieving his recent death. Cooking a meal by the shore for his friends. Intimacy. Conversation. Relationship.
God is the most creative being ever—and the most relational being ever. Reality at its core is relational. We learn who we are through Story. We learn creativity in the same way. Not through some impersonal force but through God. God isn’t the universe. He created the universe. God is personal. He is primarily a good Father who teaches his sons and daughters—not a teacher who occasionally fathers his students.
When we get that mixed up, it muddies our view of who God is, who we are, and how we create.
(From The Creativity Glitch: How to Stop Being Stuck, Find Your Groove, & Create with God. Copyright © 2026 Allen Arnold.)
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
Want More?
Order your copy of The Creativity Glitch today
