CARING FOR HIS CREATION
April 22, 2021
Prayer: Lord, Show me how I can care for your creation, on Earth Day and every day. Amen.
Scriptures: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day. Genesis 1:26-31 NAS
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Romans 8:19-22 NAS
I always get several emails each year expressing an opinion or asking questions about a Christian’s participation with Earth Day. Sadly, somehow, Earth Day has become connected to politics or a belief that there is a rift between environmentalists and evangelicals, but nothing could be further from the truth. God commanded us from “the beginning” to “rule over” all that He has made and gifted to us. He gave it as a good gift to sustain and surround mankind. One must care deeply for a gift so good from God and so vital for life. We are supposed to “rule over” creation as God “rules over” us, with great love and a watchful eye, nurturing its growth and ready to rescue and restore when destruction threatens its existence.
Paul explains to us in the book of Romans that the whole earth, all of creation, nature as well as people, longs anxiously for the day that Jesus will return and restore the earth to its intended perfection. Disease, destruction, and death were not a part of God’s creation. The ground was cursed when Adam and Eve listened to the serpent and chose to bring sin into the garden. Mankind’s initial sin and repetitive sin of selfishness has resulted in waves of change and decay in creation’s condition. We have not been good stewards of God’s gifts. Call it what you want; Earth Day, Creation Care, Tree- huggers, Environmentalism, Advocacy in action, no matter what you call it, we are commanded to rule with responsibility. It is important for us to care for creation until Jesus returns to redeem it. It is also important to teach the next generation to rule responsibly too. Plan and prepare lessons and activities that will help grow your students to care for our world until we are restored to the glory God first intended.
Copyright Kathy Branzell. Email [email protected]