WorshipCentral

Creative Power

The Bible encourages us again and again to consider the creative power of God.  From the account of the creation of the world in Genesis (chapters 1 and 2) to the vision of heaven so vividly described in Revelation (chapter 4 2-11) we can’t help but conclude that our God is the ultimate creator.  “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1 16-17).

I often find the initial stages of the songwriting process quite enjoyable.  I usually try and start with a set of chords and a catchy melody.  Then I write some lyrics for the first verse and perhaps the chorus.  It’s at this point that I seem to run out of fresh lyrics and the very idea of writing a second verse to accompany the first appears daunting.  The initial flow of creativity has dried up and it’s all too easy to revert to well worn clichés.  Indeed the majority of songwriters I have encountered seem to come up with interesting chord structures and accessible melodies.  They appear to struggle however when it comes to writing lyrics that express the eternal truths of God in unique ways.  I have found that the Bible is an awesome source of inspiration; it is described in 2 Timothy as being ‘God breathed’ (2 Tim 16).  What an amazing thought!  It’s really important to make the Bible part of our every day walk with our creator.   I’ve tried to use the Bible solely to find lyrics for songs; I have found it’s often difficult to do and can lack integrity if it is our only exposure to the word of life.   

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in San Clemente California.  My friend Pete and I stayed in a house which had a fantastic view of the beach and the Pacific Ocean.  One afternoon I was sitting watching a group of surfers as they paddled out beyond the breakers and patiently waited for the right wave to appear.  Being a simple soul I turned to Pete and asked him ‘what makes the waves crash one after another onto the shore?’  He then explained that it was the moon’s gravitational pull on the earth that caused tidal movement.  At that moment, as we were just chatting the lyric ‘You made the moon that moves the waves’ popped into my head.  Songwriting probably couldn’t have been much further from my mind as I sat watching the waves and yet from that flash of inspiration came the song ‘All Hail Jesus’:

You made the moon that moves the waves
The burning sun to light the day
Yours is the name above all names

You formed the earth, both height and depth
The universe an endless space
Yours is the name above all names

All hail Jesus
The king above all kings
Enthroned in majesty
You reign eternally   
Ideas for songs often crop up when you least expect them.  Like the surfers in San Clemente you might be waiting for some time for a good wave to surface.  When the initial surge of creativity appears, try to capture as much of it as possible, and make sure you record any new melodies as they can be extremely difficult to remember.  This process of documenting all of our creative thoughts is sometimes called blue sky mining; the idea being that the blue sky is a massive expanse in which creativity can fly free.  We need to use our every day experience as followers of Christ, whether good, bad or indifferent to inspire and inform our lyrics.
You have probably heard the expression; ten percent inspiration, ninety percent perspiration.  This is particularly true of songwriting.  It is very important to set aside time for the rewriting process.  If we want to explore a songs potential it is essential to allow our creative ideas to mature.  Songwriting is generally a lengthy procedure; I often spend at least a year writing a song.  There is also a biblical principle at work here.  Galatians 6 verse 7 tells us that ‘A man reaps what he sows’.  In the same way that a farmer patiently cultivates his crop, we as songwriters must sow time and energy into our songs.

Go for it:

· Make God, the supreme creator your source of inspiration.

· Spend as much time as possible immersed in the word of God.

· Allow your everyday walk with Jesus to inform your lyric writing.

· Finally, apply yourself to the rewriting of your songs.