Oakwood Metro Park

“The earth is the Lord’s …”Psalm 24:1 (NRSV)

Most of us can remember a time when we were in the great outdoors and felt really close to God.  I remember a cartoon of Ziggy looking at a sunrise and the thought bubble to his side read “Who does an atheist thank for this?”

I often use illustrations from nature to present a rational basis for believing in God.  But nature is much more than an illustration of God.  Nature is a part of God’s creation that He said was, “good!”

The earth and all that is in it belongs to Him.  Whether it is the minerals beneath the ground, the fish in the sea, or the cattle on the face of the earth, it is all His.  And it is good.  Butterflies, lilies, fungus, bugs, birds, and I could go on and on.  It’s all good.

So let’s respect and treasure what God has created instead of destroying it.  Why shouldn’t we practice good conservation?  It does after all belong to God!  We are given the benefit of using it as good stewards.   That means we can build homes, plant gardens, practicing soil and water conservation.

We can reduce our impact upon the earth, through wise consumption and conservation.  Many years ago I came to the conclusion having clean water and clean air was much more important than oil.  This led me to the conclusion that leadership was the real crisis we confronted.  Having traveled around the world, I can tell you that clean water, from my tap is a far greater gift than most people appreciate.  The fact that clean water is abundant here in Michigan doesn’t mean it should be wasted.

I don’t live on a farm.  I live in suburbia.  However a Biblical worldview convinces me even in suburbia I can practice good habits which will create a healthier habitat for our family and those around me.  Even a casual reading of the Bible will reveal that being “green” is a part of practicing our faith as Christ followers.

Some critics of Christianity have accused Christians of not caring about the environment.  That’s true of some Christians, but it is not true of the Bible.  I would encourage you to read your Bible with an eye towards how God said we should live and then how the people in the Bible really lived. The issues remain the same. There is great wisdom given to live by; but the people of the Bible struggled like we do with trusting God’s wisdom. The fault is not with the faith we have been taught it is with the faith that we have brought to trusting God’s Word.

For the glory of Him who created it all and gave His only begotten Son because He loved the world!

With a Vision,

DEC