Care for God's Creation

Text: Romans 8:19
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; (NRSV)

When God created the heavens and the earth, God gave dominion (care) of the planet to humanity (see Genesis 1).  At that moment we became stewards—caretakers—of God’s creation.  It is through the proper care of the planet we harvest from it that which we need to survive.  It is through the proper care of the planet it continues to provide for us all that we need as God fully intended.

When humanity fell into sin and began to see the produce of the land as something to be exploited for personal benefit (see Genesis 3), the earth was also subjected to futility (Romans 8:20).  When humanity began to see the earth as a personal possession and not something belonging only to God over which we were to care, we began our long slow decent into causing harm to that which was provided for our good.

How do we, as those who claim to be the children of God, become the stewards of God’s creation we were called to be?  What steps can you take today that will begin to heal the planet in gratitude to God for the amazing gift of God’s creation?

We are not called to worship the earth or anything on the earth but, we are called to be those who have been revealed as the children of God.  In part, at least, that means we are to take up the responsibility that God has given us to care for God’s created planet that produces all that is needed for the survival of humanity while we wait for the return of Jesus and the new heaven and the new earth for which the creation also waits with eager longing.

Pray with me:

Creator God, you have blessed us with life and with love.  You have given us all that we need to be sustained in this life through the bounty that is produced by your creation.  In gratitude I pledge to do all in my power to care for that which you have made me a steward.  May my actions and my words rise to the level of my gratitude to you.  AMEN.