We Came in Like a Wrecking Ball

We Came in Like a Wrecking Ball

The Problem

Christians need to face up to a problem that we have not always taken adequate responsibility for.

We, as humans, and as Christians, have failed to take proper care of the earth, and at times have even been directly involved in its destruction. Christianity has not only participated in this destruction, but has failed to take any action to correct it. Economist and Creationist Wendell Berry argues that, not only are Christians being counted in those who add to the destruction of creation, but have often been amongst the worst of its perpetrators;

“Christian organizations, to this day, remain largely indifferent to the rape and plunder of the world and of its traditional cultures. …most Christian organizations are as happily indifferent as most industrial organizations to the ecological, cultural, and religious implications of industrial economics. The certified Christian seems just as likely as anyone else to join the military-industrial conspiracy to murder Creation.”

A Sinking Ship

Fundamentalist eschatological theories have indirectly cultivated a culture in which Christians have lost all sense of responsibility for the created order. Movies, blogs and books including best-selling novel series “Left Behind” have come to foster a philosophy that perceives the earth to be a temporary dwelling which will succumb to ruin before Christ’s second coming. The line of thinking is this;

If the earth, in the future (possibly near future) is going to become a desolate wasteland which will only be redeemed upon Christ’s return, then why should we, as Christians, make any efforts to care for it now? This philosophy leads to a focus on evangelization and the ‘saving of souls’, over care for the environment. DL Moody himself felt this way, and said; “I look upon this world as a sinking ship…”

According to this view, the earth is a kind of Titanic, beyond redemption and doomed to founder. Moody’s statement implies that the only recoverable component of the wreckage is people. While we must keep mission in focus at all times, saving souls created by God, we must not do so at the expense of the rest of God’s creation. The Bible describes the future earth as gloriously redeemed and rebuilt, but this does not give us permission to use and abuse it in the present age. The blessed hope that we look to of a future re-creation does not provide license for humanity to abandon the care for this creation. The opposite is the case – we must utilise the inherent goodness of the material world in order to please God and care for his creation in our own time and place.

It is with this philosophy, that Luther famously remarked;

“If I knew Jesus would return tomorrow, I would plant a tree today.”

A Witness to all Nations

The relationship between Christianity and creation is becoming increasingly urgent. Humans are perceived to be the most intelligent life form that roams the earth, and yet we are responsible for almost all of the damage that the planet has suffered. As Christians, we are even further enlightened through the Light of Christ, and yet we are passive when it comes to issues concerning the created order.

Over the last few decades, there have been many movements which have taken up the environmental flag and advocated for responsible earth care in order to preserve God’s creation. Christians, however, have often distanced themselves from these movements, or just failed to act with conviction when it comes to environmental issues. This stands in opposition from scripture, which sees creation as deeply bonded and relational with God, as well as revealing God’s glory and omnipotence. Christians should be leading these campaigns which address environmental concern.

We are no longer in a position to sit back and pray for a miracle. Stories of pollution, climate change and animal extinction are endemic in our media, yet we are no more compelled to make changes than we were four or five decades ago. As Christians we must respond with conviction, to represent and take responsibility for the environment that we recognise as God’s. The entire cosmos matters deeply to God, and thus it should matter deeply to us. If we abuse the environment, neglect it, or fail to advocate or it, then we are allowing the earth that our God cares about, to perish.

Biblically speaking, to not take action is a failure on our part, to understand our role in the created order, and in the Gospel.

Why should we care?

The Bible gives many reasons why we should be concerned for our world:

God himself is pleased with his creation
God is in relationship with his creation
God expects humans to exercise responsible stewardship over nature
God commanded us to care for the environment
The entire created order will be renewed and re-created

The significance of the earth in our estimation ultimately depends on our understanding of the story in which we are taking part. We must spread the Gospel to the four corners of the earth – as we have been commissioned – but to preach the Good News whilst failing to model it by caring for God’s creation, is a failure to understand our place within God’s redemptive plan.

The biblical story outlines a framework in which we are all participants. After five days of creating planet earth, the sixth day is used to create human life. The first man is then formed from the dust of the earth, and filled with God’s breath. Humans were created to be in relationship with the earth in the same way that God is – we are bound to the earth and rely on it to care for us, as we in turn should care for it.

So What Can We Do Today?

To become a part of the solution TODAY, the first thing you should do is subscribe, and sign the petition to officially inaugurate Creation Day. Help establish Creation Day as a national holiday in which all of humanity will recognise the need for responsible, caring stewardship over God’s creative handiwork.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/creation-day

Cain and Abel: A Creation Manifesto

The story of Cain and Abel is commonly known as the story of two brothers, one of whom murders the other in a fit of jealous rage. However, the story of Cain and Abel is so grounded in the creative narrative that this story also powerfully reflects God’s love for his creation, and demonstrates how deeply bonded He is, to the earth.

Creation is Offered

Genesis 4:2 describes Cain as a crop farmer and his younger brother Abel as a shepherd. Each man was responsible for a portion of God’s creation which they each cared for.

4:3 states that “Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD”. Notice that Cain is the first to make his offering before God. This tells us that there is nothing inferior or unsuitable about his offering – in the eyes of the Lord; Cain’s grain holds just as much value as Abel’s animal sacrifice. Both animals and plants are equal as God’s creation and make a suitable sacrifice.

It is also significant that both brothers use a portion of creation to make their sacrifice. Cain is a farmer who brings a portion of his edible crops. Scripture does not indicate if this is his best produce or whether, perhaps he was bringing seconds or even inedible goods. Abel is a shepherd who is said to bring the ‘firstlings’–likely fattest of his flock – as a sacrificial contribution (Gen 4:4). Both brothers choose to bring the fruit of their work within creation as an offering, directly utilising God’s creation in their working life and in their devotional life.

Creation is Fallen

Cain’s ominous actions are bound up with the created order.

Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. (v.8)

The act itself was committed outside, a point that is explicitly referenced within the story – twice. This is important – killing Abel is not just an offence against humanity, but an offence against the cosmos on a fundamental level.

When Cain commits the unspeakable, God asks where Abel is.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper? (v.9)

Cain denies the crime outright, as if he could conceal his actions, and his sin from God. God doesn’t need an admission from Cain. He feels the full weight of Cain’s massacre upon God’s creation.

What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. (v.10)

The earth cries out to God on Abel’s behalf. This cry is a demand for vengeance from the earth which has in some way absorbed the solemnity of Abel’s death. The details about this are scarce – perhaps Cain had buried Abel’s body in the ground hoping that his crime might go undetected, or perhaps in that fatal moment, Abel’s blood spilled on the ground. In any case, the earth took the burden of Abel’s death and cried out to God for justice. A similar story takes place in Luke where, if the people’s praises were silenced, the stones would cry out in praise (19:40). In Luke, the ground, the stones, and all of the created order recognise God as their creator and saviour, and yearn for redemption from its fallen-ness, through Him.

Creation is Angered

Genesis goes onto state;

So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand (v.11)

We now know that Abel’s blood was not lying on the ground, openly spilt. The surface of the earth opened its mouth to receive it. Again, this may indicate that Cain buried Abel, in an attempt to cover up his transgression. We see this in Numbers, where we are told that;

…blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell… (35:33-34)

God dwells in the land in Numbers, and in Genesis with Cain and Abel, and he finds blood to be a pollution upon his creation. The result of this pollution is that the earth will no longer co-operate with Cain. Cain has abused God’s created order and it now rejects him. Abel’s blood has damaged God’s relationship with creation, and separated him from it.

When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth. (v.12)

In cursing the ground by murdering Abel, Cain has in turn been cursed by the ground. He is fated to live in the absence of his usual agricultural activity, wandering restlessly within a created order that no longer recognises him. This indicates a kind of ‘poetic justice’, where we recognise that the punishment has been established to fit the crime. Cain was an agronomic man who would have enjoyed in his work, so in keeping with the nature of his crime, God punishes him using the earth. Cain is ruined – the ground will no longer be fruitful for him, and he will no longer be able to produce a living from the work, and the life, that he has known up until this point.

The story of Cain and Abel sheds some light on God’s relationship with creation, and how he feels about us neglecting or directly harming any part of his created order. Become a part of the solution TODAY, by subscribing, and signing the petition to establish Creation Day as a national holiday.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/creation-day

Nature and You

In a hectic world where everybody is running a race, has anyone ever genuinely thought of what role our nature plays in these areas where our environment continuously wastes away for thoughtless projects?

The Word of God says that a man who trusts in the Creator is like a tree planted by the river – always fruitful regardless of season. Who wouldn’t wish for abundance? Did you ever wonder why God compared man with a tree that knows no drought? Like the tree’s roots that knows no thirst our Creator wants us to place ourselves in the position where our resources never run dry.

We need to understand that our natural resources were not created after us, they were created before us, so that by the time we are brought into life, they are able to sustain us.

Looking deep into the scriptures, in the beginning we do not work to cultivate our environment to feed us. God has created everything to serve us in submission to Him. Only when man disregarded God’s favor upon him did the world turn upside down. Man was enticed by the bait of an alien who has not proven any concern for him and forgot all about the One who has the power to give what he asks for. As a consequence, God cursed the ground and through painful toil man eats from it and from animals which have became hostile. We have lost our authority over God’s creation as a result of our nullifying of God’s care for us.

When Christ Jesus came, He brought restoration to the original plan of God. He gave us His only Son to put our faith on and believe that in every man’s labor he has regained authority to speak and declare fruitfulness over the work of his hands.

We invite you to celebrate God’s restoration with us and become a part of this advancement. We bring awareness about God’s creation in relation to our existence.

You are God’s creation so come take the journey with us and follow our blogs! We would gladly appreciate your responses!

Aspiring Leaders

Since the beginning of dynasty, our concept of leadership rested on the lineage of influential personalities who are born to govern its constituents. Even in the corporate world today, the succession of CEO’s would automatically come from the owner of the business. While the system has been the culprit to people being discourged to pursue leadership, it is also responsible for incumbents who fail in governance due to lack of experience and passion. They have only been given the authority without meaning. Another thing is that when we think of leadership we overwhelm ourselves with this huge image of responsibility that it gives us the impression that only influential people would have the resources to fulfill what is required. It is not to imply that passing the baton to your bloodline is a bad idea, for as long as the successor is determined to serve then all falls into place.

Experience and passion being considerably the two main essentials to leadership, the difference between them is that experience can only be as diverse as possible, whereas passion allows you not only to hear people out but to hear what God says about his people. Passion draws not only from your deepest desires but from the will of the Father. It gives us the yearning to serve and teaches us the essence of valuing people rather than valuing the plan. It enables you to surrender your plan in exchange of His and rouse people to seek God with you. It motivates rather than command. Passion pushes you to go that extra mile to begin with before sitting in control.

Jesus is the quintessential of true leadership. The scripture records that while Jesus claims to be the Son of God, He managed to eat with crooks, touched the lepers, and healed on Sabbath day. All His works did not actually reveal the leader material in Him but these gained Him much influence, way more than the king and high priests in that era and up to this moment, considering He was only known as the son of the carpenter who had not much. Not only because Jesus is Lord and therefore has the power to persuade, but because He begins His day with a Word with the Father in Heaven.

Hebrews 3:15 says “Today, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” The desire and ability to lead and delegate task wisely come from having the heart to seek and acknowledge the voice of the Divine Leader. A true leader recognizes that his calling is a revelation from the Creator, the One who has the game plan of the entire universe that moves by the rules of the One who has preordained it. We ought to receive instruction that comes from the Father that we may realize what we have been created for, and to see the value of creation in His eyes in order to have the capacity to oversee all that He has entrusted to us.

While you might wonder what relationship leadership has with creation, God wants us to be the CEO of His masterpiece by first having the right character. As most dream of initiating an advocacy and celebrate victory, we are in fact given the opportunity to take the lead right now in preserving God’s work in our own little way and celebrate its fruitfulness as a humble beginning.

The Word again says being faithful in small things will put in us charge of greater things. For some it might have to take a little courage to consider a good habit and make a difference by simply keeping a clean environment as a first step towards that leadership climb. But it will definitely give you that discipline you need to get to the peak of your highest potential. For those who are already leaders, you have been blessed to have the influence to stir your people to take initiative in being mindful of what God has created to benefit the entire race. The question is, would you take the privilege?

How Big is God?

How Big is God?

We can begin to have an idea of how big God is by looking at his creation. Let us take the universe for example – a large, endless, expanse of space, with innumerable planets, stars and other planetary bodies – many of them several thousands of kilometres bigger than our earth.According to the International Astronomical Union, the diameter of our galaxy – the Milky Way – is approximately 100,000 light years. To get an idea of the massive expanse that this occupies, it is helpful to know that one light year is equal to 10 trillion kilometres.

Astronomers using the Hubble Telescope have discovered billions of galaxies in the universe, observing that each of these galaxies have billions of stars. Limiting their records to only what they can observe with the telescope, they have concluded that our own galaxy has about 300 billion stars alone.

The distance between our galaxy and our neighboring galaxies ranges from several hundred thousand, to millions of light years away from the earth.

It is not hard to see why the Psalmist says;

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; Ps 8:3-4 NASU

The one who created the endless universe can never be a small creature himself. The bible says He is so big in stature that he made the earth His foot stool.

It is unfortunate that though man has been able to discover the wonders of the universe, he has not been able to fully grasp the God who made it.

What is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. Ps 8:4-8 NASU

If God can exalt humanity to the point of putting all things under his feet, then we should feel compelled to reciprocate His love by using every opportunity to worship Him.

The Day of Creation has been set aside for this purpose; all we need to do is to give it more recognition by help making it a recognized holiday.