Creation’s Groaning
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has certainly gotten the nation’s attention. It’s gotten mine too. I can’t imagine what it must be like for the people down along the coast. Nor can I imagine what it must be like for the wildlife affected by this catastrophe. I try to keep up with the news on the spill but have discovered I can’t watch or read much without getting depressed. The situation is horrible!
I’ve tried to think about how God sees this disaster. Because people are hurting I know God hurts too. The same thing goes for the wildlife. An entire ecosystem God created is threatened. This has to bring Him grief. God has asked us to be stewards of His Creation, not destroyers.
One of the things that sustain Christians in difficult times is the hope of heaven. The Bible, however, also speaks of a “new earth” to come (Rev. 21:1). I’m not sure what this new earth will look like or exactly how it fits into God’s scheme of things but it is encouraging to know that there’s hope for the earth too. The apostle Paul spoke of this hope in Romans 8. Here he wrote: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Paul goes on to speak of how Creation “groans” in its present condition.
For some this will be a new way of “seeing Creation.” It is, however, reality. Due to our sin Creation suffers. Due to the way that we have treated the earth, it needs liberation. One day God will see to it that His Creation is “liberated from its bondage to decay.” In the meantime, it’s up to us to do everything we can to care for the earth and try to prevent further catastrophes like the one we’re seeing now in the Gulf of Mexico. For God’s sake, for Creation’s sake, and for our own sake, we must do this!
–Chuck
(The image of the Gulf of Mexico shown above was taken in Florida. Will it soon be covered with oil?)