Seeing Creation

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”  Psalm 150:6

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Him all creatures here below.” (from  The Doxology)

In the book I wrote about on Sunday, Tending to Eden, the author allowed several leading voices in Creation Care to write small essays.  One of these was written by Tony Campolo and is called “Creation Care and Worship.”  In this brief essay Campolo argues that “we humans are not the only ones called to worship God.” He believes that the Bible teaches that all of God’s Creation was created to offer its Creator worship and praise.  There are certainly numerous biblical passages that back this claim.  Psalm 148, for example, says “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds…”

If we understand that all things were created to worship God it will help us see Creation in a new light.  Perhaps it will even come to help us appreciate more our fellow worshippers and create within us a desire to learn more about them.  Recognizing that everything on earth was made to worship God will also affect how we treat the earth and its creatures.  We will do all we can to help preserve all species for, as Campolo says, whenever another species is made extinct “we have silenced a special voice of praise to the Almighty.”

In the final paragraph of his essay Campolo says, “To interfere with worship is blasphemy.  Thus, the obliteration of the environment has blasphemous dimensions to it.  Considering what we have done to nature, we need to repent, because we have hindered nature’s glorification of the God who created all things in heaven and on earth to praise his name.”

We can and should avoid blasphemy by being good stewards of God’s Creation and by making sure that we add our own voice in offering praise to God.  When all of Creation offers its praise to God what a beautiful song it must be!

–Chuck

(This cardinal and pika I photographed are just two examples of  those who join us in praising God.)

I have just finished reading a new book by Scott Sabin called Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People.  I have lots of books on Christianity and the environment but this one is different in that it highlights how environmental degradation both contributes to poverty and effects the poor disproportionately.

Sabin is executive director of Plant with Purpose, a nonprofit Christian environmental organization with operations in seven countries.  One of the primary goals of his organization is planting trees and promoting sustainable farming practices.  To some this may not seem like much of a Christian mission but Sabin argues convincingly that it truly is.  By addressing environmental issues in poor countries Plant with Purpose offers hope for the future and love for those in need now.

One of the places the book talks a lot about is Haiti.  I have seen firsthand the deforestation that has taken place in this Caribbean country due to cutting trees for fire wood or the production of charcoal.  Ninety six percent of the Haitian forests have been denuded.  I have also seen firsthand the devastation caused by the flooding deforestation contributes to.  Without a doubt, one of the best things we can do for places like Haiti is assist them in reforestation projects.  As Sabin notes, “When the land is impoverished, its people will remain in poverty.”

In the study guide that is included in the back of the book Sabin says, “The hardships faced by these communities are linked to environmental health. Deforestation, pollution, famine, unsanitary water sources, and events such as drought, flooding, and mudslides are environmental issues.  For Christians, who have been charged with caring for the poor, a response to poverty must include responding to the environmental issues in which poverty is rooted.”

In the book’s conclusion there is this wonderful summary: “When we see creation through God’s eyes, we see that God is revealed in and glorified by this wondrous symphony playing all around us.  The good steward knows that humans have a special part to play in this symphony.  Made in God’s image, humans have a responsibility to care for creation, and thus the good steward seeks to exercise dominion with the same compassion with which God rules.  The good steward’s attitude is best described as one of humility.  With humility, the good steward works to serve and protect creation, acknowledging human dependence on habitat.  Because humans are so dependent on habitat, the good steward responds to Christ’s call to care for ‘the least of these’ by responding to the ecological degradation that characterizes the habitats of our world’s poorest communities.”

Reading Tending to Eden has opened my eyes to seeing Creation and Creation Care to a new level.   I commend the book to you and encourage you to pay a visit to www.plantwithpurpose.org. 

–Chuck

(The top image shows charcoal being produced in Haiti.  Note the lack of trees on the mountains in the background.  The bottom image is a street scene near Port au Prince.)

Later tonight I will begin teaching a study on the Book of Hosea at the church I serve.  As I have prepared for this study and read through this Old Testament book again I am convinced that Hosea, an 8^th century B.C. prophet, still has a word for us today.  This is true in a number of areas, one of which is the correlation of human sin and environment degradation.

In Hosea 4:1-3 the prophet says, “Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel; for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land.  There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land.  Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea are perishing.”

The biblical prophets note repeatedly how our failure to obey God’s laws causes harm to the Creation.  Even if this wasn’t noted in the Scriptures I think we would still recognize this.  So often the land, sea and air suffer due to our sin. 

When I read the scripture passage above I couldn’t help but think of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  We now know that shortcuts were taken for the sake of economic gain that had they not been taken this disaster would likely never have occurred.  Because of greed, one of the seven deadly sins, “the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea are perishing.”

We cannot treat the earth any way we please and not expect there to be severe consequences.  The Bible clearly teaches that “we reap what we sow.”   Hosea himself said, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (8:7) 

I believe that when we look at Creation we must recognize that our actions do indeed have consequences.  If we fail to be the good stewards of the earth that God has called us to be there will be a price to pay.  In fact, we are already paying that price in many areas.  If, however, we can be good stewards of the earth the consequences will be positive.  I encourage you to join me in trying to sow a better tomorrow.

–Chuck

(The image above was recently taken in Olympic National Park.)

I have spent the last three days in Paradise.  Really!  I have been at the Paradise area in Mount Rainier National Park.  The name given to this gorgeous place is fitting.  The Paradise area sits below lofty Mount Rainier and is world famous for its wildflower display each summer.  John Muir once described Paradise Meadows as “the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountaintop wanderings.”  The meadows are still covered with wildflowers today but the presence of millions of visitors has come with a price.  Many sections of the fragile landscape has been trampled. 

Today there seem to be as many signs warning park visitors to stay on the trails as there are wildflowers.  As several have noted in recent years, we seem to be loving our national parks to death!  Paradise Meadows is still beautiful but for it to remain that way for future generations to enjoy park visitors like myself must be very careful not to tred off marked trails.

The Bible describes another Paradise God created long long ago.  Unfortunately, it too has been marred by the “footprint” of its visitors.  With nearly seven billion people inhabiting planet earth today it is more important than ever before that we exercise caution and restraint as we live out our lives on this fragile planet. Perhaps we need more signs (like the one shown below asking people in many different languages to exercise caution) reminding us that if we’re not careful we will lose what we have.

The Bible actually contains many signs warning us not to abuse the land. Ecologists and scientists over the years have posted numerous warning signs. The destruction that has already occurred to God’s Creation should likewise serve as a sign.

It is obvious to me that Paradise has not yet been lost but it has certainly been damaged.  Will the generations that follow us be able to enjoy what we do today?  That’s up to us.

–Chuck

(The top image of Mount Rainier was taken at Reflection Lakes yesterday.  The flowers and sign were both taken at Paradise Meadows.)

A couple of days ago I read a chapter in a book that detailed how many Christians feel that environmental issues are not important.  One reason given is the belief that Christ is coming back soon and will establish a new heaven and a new earth.  As a result, they argue, why waste time and money caring for that which will shortly be replaced?  It was also pointed out that some Christians feel that the material world is evil.  Due to this belief some say the earth doesn’t need saving, we need to be saved from the earth.

I cannot express how frustrating it is to me that many who take the name “Christian” fail to see environmental stewardship as an important aspect of our faith.  Thankfully, not all Christians have such a truncated view of Creation and our role as caretakers.  The denomination to which I belong—the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)—encourages its members to affirm “the Alverna Covenant.” It reads as follows.

Whereas:

 *God has created the world with finite resources

*God has given to us the stewardship of the earth

*God has established order through many natural cycles

And it is evident that:

*We are consuming resources at a rate that cannot be maintained

*We are interrupting many natural cycles

*We are irresponsibly modifying the environment through consumption and pollution

*We are populating the earth at a rate that cannot be maintained

As a member of the human family and a follower of Jesus Christ, I hereby covenant that:

*I will change my lifestyle to reduce my contribution to pollution

*I will support recycling efforts

*I will search for sustainable lifestyles

*I will work for public policies which lead to a just and sustainable society

*I will share these concerns with others and urge them to make this Covenant.

Since I support the Alverna Covenant I would like to do what the last line says and encourage you to make this Covenant too.  I realize that there are lots of other things we need to do to be better stewards of God’s Creation but the Alverna Covenant seems to me to be a good place to start.

–Chuck

(The image above was taken at Paradise Meadows in Mount Rainier National Park.  I’ll be heading back there tomorrow.)

The garden as a good place for people to connect with the world is used a number of times in the Bible, starting with the Garden of Eden all the way up to Jesus retiring to the Garden of Gethsemane. Those two gardens, in particular, are sacred spaces. The Garden of Eden is a place of paradise where all life comes from. While the Garden of Gethsemane is often simply seen as the place of Jesus arrest and violence, you have to think a little deeper about it. Of all places Jesus could have gone to pray during this troubling time, including inside a temple, He chose to be outside in a garden. The implication is that the garden provided some relief from the stress He was under and that He felt closer to God there.

I definitely feel closer to God in my garden. It is also a place of joy because I can go there any time and explore it photographically. I do not need to go on any long trips or pack a lot of gear. It is also a place that helps relieve stressful times in my own life.

One thing that helps me feel closer to the nature that God has created is that my garden is a native plants garden. I have grown native prairie plants in gardens before in Minnesota, and now, I am growing plants native to the chaparral of Southern California. These plants represent an important part of the natural ecosystems of Southern California and help me feel more connected to them. I can now watch and photograph these plants 24/7 and all year round to learn their lives and personalities.

I think such gardens and the use of native plants is important in our landscapes. I believe that one of the reasons people get alienated from nature and do not connect with God’s creation well is that they truly are alienated from nature when all they have growing around them is either exotic plants they will never see in the wild or asphalt. What a choice. Can you imagine Jesus retiring to the Garden of Gethsemane so He could sit under exotic flowers from South Africa rather than connect with plants that were truly part of His world? How do you connect with a God of creation if all you see are plants and flowers from another continent that are not part of your world?

I love seeing exotic flowers and plants, too. I would not want gardens to never have them. But I do think the world immediately around us, including our gardens, can have a big impact on how we see nature and, ultimately, God.

Rob

In his book, Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey speaks of having undergone two conversions: “first from the natural world to discover the supernatural, and later to rediscover the natural world from a new viewpoint.”  The second conversion led him to try to make daily life sacramental.  This means attempting to see God in the world around us each day.

Yancey says, “Every day, every hour, every moment, I must exercise my calling to hallow God’s creation, whether it be leatherback turtles in Costa Rica or the irritating kid next door who peppers my yard with golf balls.  Holy sparks are potentially trapped in every moment of my day, and as God’s agent I am called to release them.”

I think a lot of us are in need of the second conversion Yancey speaks of.  We need to understand that the world God has created is indeed sacred.  Likewise, we need to grasp that God uses what He has made to reveal Himself to us.  There are lots and lots of “holy sparks” waiting to be released.  But before they can be released we must recognize that they are there and look for them.  In The Imitation of Christ Thomas a Kempis wrote, “If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life, and a book of sacred doctrine.  There is no creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of God.”

Yancey also speaks of another effect of his second conversion.  He says, “If I take seriously the sacred origin of this world, at the very least I must learn to treat it as God’s work of art, something that gave God enormous pleasure.”  Normally we treat works of art with great care.  Apparently many  today fail to see Creation as a work of art.  This is evidenced by the destruction of the planet’s rain forests, the pollution of streams and rivers, the careless elimination of animal species, and a host of other environmental degradations.  God’s incredible work of art deserves far better care than it has received!

Throughout Christian history there have been a number of “great revivals” or spiritual awakenings where thousands of people experienced the first conversion Yancey spoke of.  Perhaps what we need now is a great revival where people will experience the second conversion.  I pray that revival comes.

–Chuck

(The image above was taken at Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

A friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail that contained the following story:

A man was exploring caves by the Seashore.  In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.   They didn’t look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.   He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock.  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone! 

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.  Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.    Then it struck him.  He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.  Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!  

 In the original e-mail the message went on to say that this is something we do from time to time with people.  If someone is unappealing to us we discount them and do not give them the time of the day.  We fail to see the treasure within them.  If, however, we take the time to get to know them we may very well discover there is a jewel inside of them.

 I have no doubt that this happens with people.  I also believe, however, that it happens in the world of nature as well.  There are many things we see in Creation that do not appeal to us.  As a result we may dismiss their importance and not take the time to discover their real beauty or God’s purpose in creating them.   

 The original e-mail concluded by saying, “May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.”  I would add the same petition to the world of nature.  God forbid that we come to the end of our lives and discover that we sat idly by while genuine treasures were destroyed and eliminated from existence.  Yes, may we come to see all things in Creation as God sees them!

–Chuck   

(The rattlesnake pictured above is one example of a creature many hate.  It too, however, serves a very useful purpose in God’s Creation.)

I have long been drawn to the life and teachings of Francis of Assisi.  Yesterday I took some time to listen to a lecture on Francis.  It was noted in this lecture that Francis believed that nature was a trail that led to God.  His thinking was that like following footprints in the snow can lead you to the one who left the prints, if you follow the footsteps of Creation they will lead you to the Creator.  This line of thinking is consistent with what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:20:  “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Francis’ belief that Creation led one to God no doubt contributed to his well-known love of nature.  It is what enabled him to write the Canticle of Brother Sun.  In this hymn Francis offers supreme praise to the “Most High, all powerful, good Lord.”  He then goes on to say, “Praised be You, My Lord, with all your creatures, especially Brother Sun…”  This is followed by praise for Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Brother Fire, Sister Water,  and Sister Mother Earth “who sustains and governs us, and produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.”

In the lecture I listened to it was noted that in this hymn Francis mentions the four classical elements of nature: earth, wind, fire and water.  This could have been his way of claiming that all of Creation sings forth the glory of God.  In all that God has made we can find steps that lead us to Him.

If we could somehow adopt Francis’ view of nature’s trail leading to God it would greatly enhance our spiritual journey.  We might learn to pay more attention to God’s “other book” and be drawn closer to Him.  Adopting Francis’ view would also lead us to appreciate Creation more and instill within us a desire to be better stewards of the Earth.  This twelfth century saint has much to teach those willing to learn.

–Chuck

(The image above was taken a few summers ago on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park.)

Being the Fourth of July I suspect that in many churches today and at various Independence Day celebrations the song “God Bless America” has been sung.  This hymn by Irving Berlin is certainly a popular one.  Before its familiar chorus the song says, “Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, as we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.”  Today we should, indeed, be grateful for the beauty of this country.  I have had the privilege of traveling to many foreign nations but I have seen none that excel this one for its natural beauty.  When God created the land we call America He truly did bless it.

The hymn “God Bless America” is considered a patriotic anthem but it might just as well be an environmental one.  Here we sing “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam, God bless America, my home sweet home.”  In this “solemn prayer” we seek God’s blessings for that which He has made—the mountains, the prairies, the oceans.

I suppose it is fine to continue to ask God’s blessings on His Creation but just as much Creation needs our blessing.  It needs our care.  Many of the mountains in this country have been ravaged.  Our prairies have vastly shrunk due to urban development.  The oceans surrounding our country were terribly polluted even before the BP oil spill.  God blessed this “land that I love.”  We seem to have cursed it.

The way that we have treated our land makes me wonder if we even have the right to sing “God Bless America.”  How can we ask God to bless this land when we have misused it in so many ways?  I have written before that one of my fundamental beliefs is that with blessing comes responsibility.  How many of us have truly been responsible as stewards of God’s good earth?  Of America, “my home, sweet home”?

We seem to have forgotten—or never understood—that God blessed this land with natural resources not just so that we could prosper, but so that we might see and know Him in that which He has made.  My prayer today is that God will bless America with a love for its land and for its Creator.  Both deserve a greater love than we have given thus far.

–Chuck

(I took the image above of Lower Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park was taken a few years ago in early July.)