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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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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