On God’s Green Earth

By Point of Grace

We live, we laugh and love and dance,
’cause God makes all things beautiful and perfect in His hands.
We rise from the ashes of our past, ’cause we’ve learned the truth at last.
Love is not blind, every color shines on God’s green earth.

This past Thursday was Earth Day—an international day when people aim to learn more about the environment and come together to advocate for its protection. We live on a beautiful planet. The Earth is filled with so many fascinating plants, animals, and geographic landmarks. Before God created man, he created the Earth.

Now, because God created the Earth, the Earth is his. The Bible even says this in Psalm 24:1.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

Everything includes everything, from the air we breathe, to plants and animals, mountains and oceans, and even us humans. Everything. God gave us Earth to dwell on, and therefore we must be good stewards of this land, which is what Earth Day is all about.

Last week at church we talked about stewardship. The dictionary definition of stewardship is, “The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care” (Merriam-Webster). In Christianity we use this term to describe the responsibility and management of what God has given us. You may hear it used in the context of being good stewards of your time, talents, and treasures/money. These are all very important things that should be managed wisely. But God gives us other things that we should be good stewards of, such as the Earth.

Being a good steward of the Earth means taking responsibility for the care and well-being of the environment. Common examples include, recycling, composting, investing in reusable products, conserving water and electricity, and choosing to walk or bike to places instead of drive.

It is important to note that something else that God gave us on this Earth is each other. “On God’s Green Earth” by Point of Grace reminds us of this. To care and take responsibility for our fellow man is a priority that is exemplified in Christ. Jesus was always taking care of others. He was filled with compassion for them and provided spiritual and physical nourishment and healing to many, even at the judgement of religious leaders.

One of those religious leaders once asked Jesus what, “What the greatest commandment in the Law?” And he replied with,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

And then later on in Galatians 6:2 we read, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

We were all created to be unique individuals, and we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Unfortunately, there has been so much conflict and unrest in our world because of our many differences. Differences in skin color, language, and cultures are a few examples of what makes our people so beautiful yet have caused a lot of division and hatred.

My favorite line in today’s Selah Saturday song is, “What if only rivers raged and hatred melted all away? We can live in peace today!” What great imagery! God created so many beautiful things that he has entrusted into our care. Unfortunately, we humans not only do things that cause destruction to the environment, but to one another as well. Earth Day should be a time when we remember to be good stewards of everything with which God has filled the Earth. That includes taking responsibility and caring for each other.

We should all be more aware of the ways in which we can contribute to a cleaner, more beautiful land. Everyone should be able to enjoy the outdoors and live in healthy environments.

More importantly, however, we should be aware of how we can contribute to cleaner and more beautiful relationships with our fellow humans who dwell on this land, so that we all may enjoy it peacefully.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
Psalm 24:1-2

Click here to listen to “On God’s Green Earth” by Point of Grace.