Originally published on Once Dead, Now Alive.

Thought-provoking books challenge me to think outside the box, sometimes out of my comfort zone. After reading “Red Moon Rising: How 24-7 Prayer is Awakening a Generation” by Pete Greig, I had the chance to participate in a week long event of 24-7 prayer at the church I attend (link). There, rooms were available for people to pray/connect with/worship God. One room had available clay and other art materials; the intent was to encourage creativity, using the supplies as an expression of worship or as response to God’s presence.

I am not an “art person”–even to step into that room WAS a step outside the box. I took some wet clay and pressed it onto a piece of paper, the result a brown splotch. Almost immediately I thought about Genesis 2:7 and myself being made of the dust of the earth. Then I began to write:

I look at a piece of clay taken from the ground. I am made of the dust of the ground.
And yet…
I can write
And yet…
I can hear
And yet…
I can see
And yet…
I can think
And yet…
I can love

I am made of the dust of the ground. To dust I will return.
And yet…
God loves me
And yet…
Jesus became like me but for sin
And yet…
Jesus saves me for more than just dust
And yet…
I am an Inheritor of Heaven

I am made of the dust of the ground.
And yet…
God uses me for his purposes
And yet…
God gives me his Spirit
And yet…
God blesses others made of dust through me
And yet…
I will have an imperishable body one day

I am made of the dust of the ground.
And yet…
God delights in me.

Then I remembered an old joke. Some scientists come before God and say “We don’t need you anymore. We can do everything you can do. In fact we can even create life from the dust of the ground. We challenge you to a creation contest. If we win, we want you to go away and leave us
alone.” They stooped down to scoop up some dirt to show God their ability and God said, “Wait a minute, go get your own dirt.”

Editor’s pick by Robin @ PENSIEVE: You know how you often follow the comments of bloggers elsewhere before you actually click over to their blog? That’s the case with Inheritor of Heaven, author of Once Dead, Now Alive. I had seen his thoughtful responses elsewhere before he and I directly connected through Pensieve’s Poetic License. What I was drawn to in this post is Inheritor’s willingness to step outside his comfort zone–playing with clay??–and respond in a way that demonstrates how God can foster creativity when you least expect it. His prose response is delightfully poetic and it’s just itching to be read again by new readers! Read Inheritor’s original post and comments and be sure to subscribe to him.