Artists: (Un)Willing Agents of Redemption

Are you one of those artsy types?

For those of you who aren't nerds, it's National Novel Writer's Month. I've never participated, mostly because I don't have any desire to write a novel.

What exactly is NaNoWriMo? It's an event throughout the month of November each year where hundreds, even thousands of writers become recluse in order to write an entire novel in 30 days' time. Here's the FAQ straight off the site:

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Pretty crazy, eh? I think so. Crazy awesome! One of my long-time friends is working on his 5th novel! That's absolutely crazy, and I admire him a lot for it. Maybe one day I'll read one. I mean, I'm pretty sure he listened to the album I recorded for the RPM Challenge. It's only fair.

I'm sure some of you are wondering, "What would possess a person to write 50,0oo words in a month, or write and record an entire album in 28 days?" Certainly, both are hefty tasks. If you're not a creative type, it may seem absolutely absurd. There's no glory. No reward. Certainly no money. So, what pushes artists to do such things?

Simply put, we are made to create.

We go to work to make a living, and then we come home to make a life. The things that sustains us physically are paychecks, groceries and apartments. But the things that sustain us emotionally don't yet exist. They're the twinkle in our creative eye. Unactualized ideas, waiting to be actualized. We are the music-makers; and we are the dreamers of dreams. We are writers, poets, chefs, painters, parents. We don't live by consumption. We live to produce.

It may surprise some people that I don't write many songs anymore. At one time I would write several songs a week. My guitar was a natural extension of my body. That's not the case anymore. It's not a bad thing. At that point in my life, I wrote not because I tried to, but because I couldn't not write. Song-writing was as natural as yawning; it was more of a reflex than an action. These days, I don't write so many songs. I journal and I blog. Why? Because I can't not write. It's a part of me. The creative impulse manifests itself without concern of my schedule. Hence, midnight posting.

Today I thought, "I need to blog." I remembered I hadn't posted in almost 48 hours *gasp!*, and figured I needed to write. But then I thought, "No. I don't need to write. I don't have anything to say. I'll just leave it alone." It was liberating. Then, tonight, I had the impulse, the idea and the opportunity. So, I went with it. And I feel much better for it.

I read in Ephesians that God has prepared works for us to do in advance. I always thought of this as good deeds, or leadership opportunities, or some sort of activity that we were assigned. The goal is to complete these tasks, like a divine scavenger hunt, but with cosmic significance. I still believe that. But I think there's even greater significance for the artist. I believe the artist is given creative impulse, and our task is to manifest that work that God has put inside of us. While some will be judged on whether or not they complete their prepared tasks, artists will be judged also on their obedience to listen to the creative voice of the Holy Spirit, on whether or not we put effort into creating those specific works of art we are called to create.

The artist's calling is one of obedience. It is also one of incarnation. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We are called to incarnate redemption, so that it may dwell among us. So that people may see, and believe, and praise God. We are artists. We are the instruments of God.

I'm writing a book. I've recently begun planning. My hope is to begin drafting in March, and to have a new blog coincide with the writing of the project. Today I got my first glimpse at what shape the work might take, and I came alive. Seriously, I was geeking, alone, in my apartment. I have found that, without fail, the works that God has called us to are the ones that make us feel most alive. Ironically, they're rarely the ones that help us make a living.

Whether you write a novel, an album or a note to a loved one, I pray that the Holy Spirit will work through you, artists, as you incarnate glimpses of redemption.