Tag Archives: Environment

Sustainable Earth

Ordinary Time
February 12, 2018

Scripture Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ –Genesis 9:8-11

I wonder what God thinks about the promise to never flood the earth to destroy it again, as God watches us do a good job of destroying it ourselves? In Oklahoma, the weather is always changing. We are used to that. I took awhile adapting to the weather forecast when I lived in Denver. It seemed so routine. The morning weather reporter would say, “It is going to rain at 8:00 pm.” And it did. In Oklahoma, we hear about a 20% chance of this but if a certain front moves further north we will have a 60% chance of something else. The report may be totally different three hours later. Now we are watching moisture falling all around us but not on us while our earth dries, and crops do not grow. Our forecasts regarding climate change are more concrete every day.

God’s promise contained in the scripture above is not made to just Noah and his descendants. God’s covenant is made with every living creature over which we were given dominion, making us responsible for their well-being as a part of the interdependent relationship we have with them in God’s creation. I believe God intends to keep that promise. I also believe that God intends for us to do our part in maintaining the sustainability of the earth and all that is on it and in it. Clearly, our life choices are contributing to the extreme weather we are experiencing, the erosion of land as sea waters rise, earthquakes caused by wastewater disposal, and carbon emissions impacting the air we breathe.

The time is now to invest our time and energy in learning about our environment and implementing ways to sustain a healthy world in which to live and grow and have our being.

Prayer: Lord, broaden our understanding of ways we can contribute to a sustainable earth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

 

Reconnecting with God

follow-your-heartLiving in the Spirit
November 15, 2016

Scripture Reading: Haggai 1:15b-2:9

For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts. –Haggai 2:6-9

God provides all the resources at our disposal. From our brains to the silver and gold in the earth, we are charged as stewards of these resources. When we use them wisely, they are designed to sustain us. When we don’t use them wisely, we suffer the consequences. Denying that our abuse of the earth is resulting in various catastrophes defies logic. What is it about people that make us hear what we want to hear and do what we want to do regardless of the outcomes?

The story of losing connection with God is as old as time. The first book in the Bible describes it. Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and people ever since work to return to it and we seem to keep making the same mistakes. Greed is a driver of our mishandling of our stewardship role. Lust for power is another.

How do we re-synch with God? God does not change. Obviously, we are the ones who have moved away from God. Now is the time, we must be still and know that God is God. (Psalm 46:10) Spending some quality time with God is a great way to clear our minds of all the rubbish that bombards us. It is a great habit to form.

Prayer: Lord, help me rest in you and rekindle my fire for your way, your truth, and your life. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Domain

icebergLiving in the Spirit
September 2, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 125

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
   which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
   so the Lord surrounds his people,
   from this time on and for evermore.
 For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest
   on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous may not stretch out
   their hands to do wrong.
 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
   and to those who are upright in their hearts.
 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways
   the Lord will lead away with evildoers.
   Peace be upon Israel!

This Psalm is described as a song of Ascent, a song sang as worshippers journeyed toward the temple. The imagery of God being as permanent as a mountain surrounding and protecting God’s people is strong, but then the Psalmist speaks of wickedness on the land. The righteous are challenged to do no wrong.

I saw on the news just yesterday that one of the icebergs in Alaska that once was easily visible from the land now could only be seen from a boat three miles in from the shore. Our whole earth is changing and the projected consequences of those changes are dire for all of us but even worse for some.

We were given domain over the earth the Bible tells us, but domain means responsibility not license to rob it of its resources without thought of the consequences. Not doing so would be like taking the boards off the sides of our homes and burning them to stay warm or worse burning them as the source of the fire for a wiener roast.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our foolish waste of the storehouse of resources you provided for us. Show us the right way, your righteous way to conserve and protect the earth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.