It's the New Year and many of us have made certain resolutions to become more physically fit, hit the gym more often, lose that extra 10 pounds, etc. Yet, as people who love God’s creation, have we asked ourselves about our creation fitness? What would it take for you to become more fully able to care for God's creation? Well, let me give you a little quiz to get you started. Before you start take a moment maybe two to look outside, go on the article can wait…
Now reflection on these questions:
1) Can you name any of the trees you were looking at?
2) Did you notice any birds?
3) Did you notice any animals?
4) What kind of birds or animals were they?
5) Did you find yourself thankful or grateful for the world God made?
If you’re like me here’s probably what happened. You looked outside the window and immediately, other thoughts clamored for your attention. Did you take care of that errand? What was the name of that song you listened to this morning? How do I solve that problem at work, at home, at … why am I looking outside, oh right that article …. yup… a nice winter scene, back to the computer now.
If you experienced anything like what I just explained than here’s the thing slow down, literally you are doing too much. You’re spiritual fitness is way off track. You may say to yourself, but I am just like everyone else. In a modern world with all of my responsibilities surely this sort of inability to focus is natural. Well, it’s not, and it’s not how God created you and it’s certainly not how God created creation.
Now I’m just not here to tell you to slow down and get to know the beautiful world around you, you’re creation fitness might be helped by living in nature, but ultimately your creation fitness is better measured by experiencing the world more fully not less so.
Your creation care fitness is measured by putting your faith into action, as someone told me recently, walking the life of faith is like learning to ride a bike, you have to actually start, and, gradually the spiritual life will become easier as God grows the muscles and spiritual maturity needed for you to be more fully yourself.
Sounds odd, but here’s the thing the Christian narrative is simply that. You are not yourself, ever since sin entered the world and impacted all of life, you are weighed down. The wages of sin are death, literal and spiritual. But, God so loved the world that He gave us His Son, and as we profess him, believe in him, follow his teachings, we will have grow into his likeness. We will come to more fully care for and tend this world that he made. In fact Jesus takes deep pleasure in people caring for the earth, what’s more exciting is that such believers are able to live with a precious gift. Hope.
Christian hope, when you look out at the creation are you filled with the hope and understanding that all is well with you? Not because there won’t be setbacks in the care of his creation, in the realm of politics, in the realm of culture, but that the God of justice cries … all of this is mine and I will make it right, because it is in my nature to do so.
Alexei Laushkin is the Senior Director of Communications of the Evangelical Environmental Network and Editor of their flagship publication Creation Care Magazine. His interest include creation care, travel, theology, God's creation, all creatures great and small, church life, renewal, and baseball. You can read more of his posts at The Creation Care Blog.
