Listen:
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)
Reflect:
Stewarding the creation in honor of the Creator
I have watched many programs discussing how to protect ‘Mother Earth.’ I listened to some activists promote this cause with passion. I strained to find God at the center of their actions. I know that God called us to be stewards of His creation and blessings to humanity. As good stewards, I know we must be watchful about the impact of our actions on God’s earth. We have the responsibility to take care of the creation thoughtfully. This intensifies my inner struggle. The creation is a gift of God, a gift misused or abused is a gift wasted.
There are inevitable connections between care for human well-being and care for natural creation. Climate changes are becoming increasingly destructive to the environment. Almost 10% of the current world population lives in absolute poverty. Effects of climate change such as severe floods, droughts, and unprecedented wildfires affecting nearly all food-growing regions of the world will further aggravate hunger and poverty problems.
God, the Creator, called creation ‘very good”. God’s children are called to worship the Creator and not the creation. Therefore, we must be careful not to engage in measures that put the creation above the Creator. The conflict we need to resolve is how to maintain the balance between our worship of the Creator and our stewardship of His creation.
While we are God’s appointed steward of creation, the earth and its fullness belong to God. They are meant to glorify God. Therefore, we must care for what belongs to God in a way that honors and glorifies God.
Prayer response:
“Heavenly Father, I understand that reducing my carbon footprint will preserve Your earth. I pray that You will empower me through Your Holy Spirit to know what is right to do and to have the will to do what is right in honor of You and appreciation of Your gift of the earth.”
—Submitted by Irene Olumese
(Irene is a Nutrition Scientist. She is also a lung transplant survivor, a bilateral amputee, and a living proof of God’s sustaining grace. Irene speaks and writes to inspire hope for those going through life adversities. She lives in Geneva, Switzerland, with her husband, Peter, and their two adult sons.)
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