Earth Day

Photo courtesy of visibleearth.nasa.gov

When I think of the most precious gifts I have been given, the first 'things' to come to mind are my husband, my children, my salvation... If I were to think in terms of earthly things, I would think of my engagement ring, my Bible, a handmade quilt... These things were intended specifically for me and for them I am eternally grateful.

When I stop to think about gifts, I realize that everything I have is a gift. The light in my eyes...the sounds that penetrate my eardrums and register in the auditory part of my brain for processing...the expanding lungs in my chest...the effective communication between my brain and my muscular system making movement and physical response a possibility... the list goes on and on.
I think of the gift of parenting ability, the ability to understand cause and effect of human behavior so as to effectively teach and train my children. The gift of fertility. The gift of laughter. The gift of music.

Everything I have, everything I am...every moment I have left on this blue planet...every breath left to take...every song left to sing....is a gift.

There are many times however that this truth fails to penetrate my heart and I live contrary to this critical understanding. I live ungratefully, critical of others, hard on myself, discontented and unhappy. When I forget that life is a gift, my eyes turn from the eternal to the temporary and I am quick to see the shortcomings and the things I think I lack. When I forget that what I have is a gift, I become a poor steward of that which I do have as I am always striving to attain that which I don't. 


Yesterday was Earth Day.
In society today, it seems as though the pendulum swings heavily one direction or another.
Either the human soul is bent in worship of this planet--sacred environmentalism and glorified animal rights are the hymns to which the heart sings--holding in highest regard, above all else, this temporary planet we are blessed to call home. It seems as though the rest of humanity finds their place in a spirit of indifference, figuring that 'my little efforts' will actually do little to nothing, so we continue to live in a state of poor stewardship and indifference.

I must admit that I have fallen into the latter. "At least I am not worshipping the created rather than the Creator" I self righteously think to myself. This is where the Spirit stops me.
Yesterday He spoke truth to me through the words of our pastor--words so aptly and appropriately spoken that I wished everyone could have heard.

I have never sat through a sermon entitled "Earth Day" and truthfully have always felt as though that is not really a topic for the pulpit. But as the moments ticked by and the Spirit spoke truth to my heart, I realized I was completely wrong. Our relationship with God will directly impact our relationship to this earth. As we look at Genesis 1, take careful note to see that the first words the Creator spoke to His creation were words regarding the gift of environment and the gift of Earth. 

'And God blessed them.

And God said to them, 

"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over

the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and 

over every living thing that moves on the earth."

And God said,

"I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth,

and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens

 and to everything that creeps on the earth, 

everything that has the breath of life, I have given every plant for food."

And it was so. 

And God saw everything He had made and behold, it was very good.

And there was evening and there was morning, 

the sixth day.'

Genesis 1:28-31

First, take note that God gave. This makes His creation a gift to us. A gift is meant to be cared for, appreciated and managed well. 

Be careful to not allow this appreciation and heart for stewardship turn your heart to worship, for how does one worship that which is he called to manage and have dominion over? Worship sets the soul in a place of submission--not dominion. Therefore, we must be careful to not worship, for by so doing, we are unable to have dominion over this earth and the affections of our hearts are being compromised. They are to be reserved for the Creator and the Creator alone. 

As Christians, as children of the Creator, ought we not be examples of stewardship? 

And yet, I often find my heart indifferent to throwing plastics in the trash, using plastic bags upon plastic bags and so on. 

As I live my short breath of a life on this earth, I refuse to allow my heart to worship that which is created, but I refuse to allow my heart to find its place in mediocrity and complacency. I will do my part in living a life thankful for that which I have been given...the Earth being one of them. 

So, to you on this beautiful new day...I pray that your heart will bow in humble adoration before the Creator and Sustainer and Giver of all good things. I pray that your heart will see the incredible gift of life and love and salvation that you have been given. I pray that your heart will cry out, 

"Be Thou glorified!" as you live your moments today. 

I pray that your gratitude will be reflected in good stewardship...of your relationships, of your resources, of your time and talents and of your small piece of this blessed gift of Earth. 

grateful. 

tiffany