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Listen while you read: "A Beautiful Life"1 (Lyrics) |
Genesis 2:15 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (NIV)
Climate change is one of the biggest issues that we're facing today. Whether we believe that human activity has caused it or not, there seems to be something going on with regard to glaciers melting, sea levels rising, and more storms each year. Last year, our wee city of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, which is located on the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and usually enjoys pleasant weather, was hit with a highly destructive tornado, the likes of which we had never seen before. Our winters have also been getting warmer, with less snow capping the beautiful mountains that surround us.
Whatever is causing these changes may have something to do with the many neglectful ways in which we take the earth for granted. We also tend to leave our environmental problems to someone else, or to some hapless future generation to find solutions to the difficulties that are presently occurring. It is far easier to ignore the issues and neglect to do something positive, either politically, financially, or even globally. After all, isn't it our God-given right to do as we please with the planet and to exploit its resources?
When I read the biblical version of creation in the book of Genesis, I'm always struck by the role that God has given to humanity with regard to the earth. In today's highlighted verse, we read that God not only expected mankind to work in the Garden of Eden, but also wanted human beings to take care of it. Thus, right from the beginning, we are divinely expected to be caretakers of this planet — this home that we call earth — and not to exploit it.
So, here's our challenge for today: how can we fulfill our faith in God by looking after the environment in which we live, so that we honour God's creation and become responsible for the planetary role that our Maker expects?
Prayer: Lord God, this is a beautiful and exceptional planet, which is a great and unique gift. Help us to heal the harm that we have caused it, and enable us to restore its balance by being caretakers of the earth's environment and not exploiters. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.
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Saturday, October 5, 2024 – In Ghana — Getting in and out of Tumu is no small feat, needing a lot of prayer. The road is like an obstacle course as you dodge all sort of vehicles, animals, people, potholes etc. It's exhausting, yet it is totally worth it because this is where my home is, where the people I love live, and where God has planted my heart. Praise God for the many miles He has kept me safe on the roads. Pray for my people to give their hearts to Jesus.
Employment-Gson: "October 3, 2024: Please pray for employment for my grandson and a chance to attend college in the..." 
Thanks, John. An apt reminder.
Thank you. You expressed my thoughts exactly.
Hi John, a very challenging, thought-provoking, well written devotional today.
To John: I really enjoyed your message and perspective this morning. Thank you!
Shalom. Something that is on my mind almost daily. Thanks for sending. We are His caretakers.
I agree – being conscious of how we dispose of garbage, care for our property is looking after the Garden.
Thanks for sharing this. Well said.
We’ve seen a lot of climate change in Canada.
Thank you for sharing. Many times we take the wonderful earth that God gave us for granted. Lord give me eyes to see your majesty.
Thanks, John, for this reminder of what a beautiful planet we live in, we must look after it as God planned. Blessings.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. May we all do what we can to care of our environment. Blessings.
Hi John
Wow. This devotional is awesome! We all are challenged these days. Love in action, as someone said.
Many thanks for your words today, John. Yes, God has given us so many beautiful creations to enjoy and we need treasure and care for each one.
Blessings for your thoughts and writings about this topic.
Hello Pastor John and thank you for your devotional today. I agree wholeheartedly and was so glad to read your words and thoughts about our beautiful and, as you said, exceptional planet.
When I first started receiving the devotionals you were a regular contributor, and I always was glad to read and think on them, so it is good to see another from you.
God bless you and the work you are doing.
Good reminder John. We should all be looking to the beautiful example of the native peoples’ high respect and gratitude for all of nature. We all get so carried away with our own sense of self-righteousness and self-centredness, and greed, even as Christians, without being aware of our own hypocrisy. Perhaps we could encourage a collective confession and repentance and take on some form of (I can’t think of the word – it means to do something good toward the injured party, the land)!!!
It is so good to hear your meditation after such a long time.
I totally agree with you. Our climate has really changed. In Florida this winter it’s been too cold to go in the pool. At home in Newfoundland we are now getting a lot of hurricanes and high winds all the time. We never had hurricanes hit us till the last few years. I’ve had so much damage to my house and trees down in my garden. We always thought it was the southern states that only got them but now they are coming up to us on the warm Gulf Stream.
Blessings.
Good morning, Mr. Stuart!
Thank you for your important message today!
Knoxville, Tennessee! I love driving through Tennessee on my way down to Florida each year during the Winter and the return trip back up North in the Spring through your awesome mountains and valleys. I have seen the changes everywhere around us and it is not good. Our climate is off and it’s not the same perfect beautiful balanced planet God gave us. We have abused our earthly home, and our Father in Heaven must be so displeased with what we have done to it – we have failed in our job as caretakers of it for sure.
Peace!
Where do I start?
There is such a panoply of issues.
The Western world is well informed, but we are not following through with basic measures that would at least slow the process down. And our insatiable appetites actually speed it up!
We live in an apartment block and the waste from one-time use containers increases daily. We also have a composting component, but those bins often clearly contain non-compostable items.
Do my children/grandchildren show more responsibility in these areas? I wouldn’t say so.
Do Followers of “The Way” show more responsibility in these areas? I’ll never know.
Thanks for the encouragement to try, John.
Always provoked by your Daily Devotional!
(BC Canada)
Thank you, John. This nicely links our need to take care of our earth with fulfilling our faith in God.