We are stewards of Nature
January 8-12, 2024 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Stewardship Week 2
My mom always told me …
… that throwing away my trash was being a good citizen. That it was good to pick up trash that wasn’t even yours to make sure it got where it was supposed to go (i.e. a garbage can). But the older I get and the more I get to understand who God is, I really am beginning to believe that what I thought was “good citizenship” is really closer to “good stewardship.”
This whole month we are talking about what it means to steward the gifts God has given us, and the first and most obvious gift is one we interact with innumerable times every day: Nature. Our world. Our environment.
As I write this devotional, I’m looking out over a yellowed-green field of grass and winter wheat, stretched out beneath a gloomy gray sky full of clouds. It’s about as barren as it sounds, but it’s still beautiful in many ways. The few trees we have here in Kansas are sticks at this time of year, but they maintain their majestic grace even with all their leaves gone.
Glorious. Ordered. Intentional. That’s what nature is. It’s not an accident, but it’s also not something to be worshiped. Every element of nature points to a creator—THE Creator. Nature isn’t a god; it’s a neon signpost pointing straight toward Jehovah.
So what does it look like to be a good steward of nature? What does it look like to manage our world in a way that pleases God?
Now, I’m not going to dive into research or scientific papers or any of that stuff. I’m not knowledgeable enough on the subject of environmental conservation, although I know many people who love Jesus AND are focused on conservation. They aren’t mutually exclusive concepts.
But where I like to start is Scripture. It’s our roadmap, our guidebook to life, so the Lord will always tell us what we need to know about how to live in His Word.
Jan 8 - Creation belongs to God (Psalm 24:1-2)
Jan 9 - All kinds of pollution make God sad (Jeremiah 2:7)
Jan 10 - God loves animals—even the small ones (Matthew 6:26)
Jan 11 - Godly people care for their animals (Proverbs 12:10)
Jan 12 - Even Nature knows it belongs to God (Job 12:7-9)
And if all of that wasn’t enough to convince you that God has a strong opinion on how we manage His Creation, take a look at our memory verse for this week, Genesis 2:15.
It doesn’t get much plainer than that, does it? If God hadn’t intended for humanity to manage and safeguard nature, this verse wouldn’t exist. God created a beautiful world, miraculous in so many everyday ways, and then He gave it to humanity to steward.
That’s not to say big cities are wrong. Of course, not. Many good things can come from big cities. That’s not to say technology or modern conveniences are wrong. The lives and health of most people have been vastly improved by the gifts that technology has given us.
But do we value the fields? Do we value the forests? Do we value clear, clean skies and snow that’s safe to eat, water that’s safe to drink, food that’s safe to consume?
Those things aren’t too big for us to make an impact. Small, everyday choices can change the course of major world industry. And if we choose to honor and glorify God by placing the same value on Creation that He does, we’ll see mighty miracles happen in spite of how small we are, because that’s how He works.
Creation is a gift God has given us. How are you taking care of it today?
Blessings to all of you, my friends!
Amy
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Excellent points!