celebrating the wonder of creation

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CELEBRATINGTHE WONDEROF CREATION

LLike autumn leaves, ourbodies bear the marks

of our mortality. But do we disrespect and neglect ourbodies in the present becausethey will be replaced byincorruptible bodies in thefuture?

In the following pages,educator and naturalist Dean Ohlman helps us to see that as we care for our own bodies, we also havereason to care for the worldaround us. Both are products of God’s handiwork, bothrequire our faithful stewardship,and both share the promise offuture restoration.

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Terry BidgoodScripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by ThomasNelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.© 1998, 2004 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

CONTENTS

The Joy Of Creation. . . . 2

God’s Relation To CreationGod Made It And Owns It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4God Loves It And Cares For It . . . . . . . . . . . 7God Reveals HimselfThrough It . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Our Relation To CreationWe Are Dependent Upon It . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13We Are Stewards Of It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Our Relation To GodThrough Creation

It Provides Us The Opportunity To Worship . . . . . . . . . . 19It Provides Us The Opportunity To Witness . . . . . . . . . . 23

Our Relation To OthersThrough Creation

We Share It With Our Neighbors . . . . . . . 26We Share It With Future Generations . . . . 28

Belief And Behavior . . . 32

Q1108 Celebrating Creation pp 6/8/06 4:48 PM Page 1

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

THE JOY OFCREATION

IIn Pollution And TheDeath Of Man: TheChristian View Of Ecology,

Francis Schaeffer says thatCharles Darwin near the end of his life found that twothings had become dull tohim: his joy in the arts andhis joy in nature. Schaeffercomments on the irony ofthis great naturalist losinghis enthusiasm for the verything he had made his life’scalling. Then he continues:

We are seeing today . . .the same loss of joy in our total culture as Darwin personallyexperienced: first of all inthe area of the arts, thenin the area of nature. Thedistressing thing aboutthis is that . . . Christiansoften really have had nobetter sense about thesethings than unbelievers.The death of joy in natureis leading to the death

of nature itself (p.11).Schaeffer also tells the

story of visiting a Christianschool in the 1960s that was located across a ravinefrom a “hippie community.”Curious, Schaeffer crossedthe ravine to learn moreabout the settlement. He discovered that the

commune was clearlypagan—even conductingpagan earth rituals commonto the New Age Movementtoday. But he was alsostruck with how attractivethe community was andhow carefully they kept theland. The difference betweenthe grounds of the twocommunities was extreme.The leader of the pagan

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“The death of joy in nature is leading

to the death ofnature itself.”

—Francis Schaeffer



commune even commentedto Schaeffer about the“ugliness” of the Christianschool. Schaeffer tells of hisreaction to that comment:

It was then that I realizedwhat a horrible situationthis was. When I stoodon the Christian groundand looked at theBohemian people’s place,it was beautiful. They hadeven gone to the troubleof running their electriccables under the level of the trees so that theycouldn’t be seen. Then I stood on the paganground and looked at the Christian communityand saw ugliness. That ishorrible. Here you have aChristianity that is failingto take into accountman’s responsibility andproper relationship tonature (p.42).Schaeffer’s book was not

just another commentary onthe decline of Christianity; itwas a call to apply biblical

principles to the world’sgrowing environmentalproblems. It was aninvitation to rediscover thewonder of God in creation.It was a reminder that weare not as likely to care for one another if we haveforgotten the high calling ofGod to appreciate and carefor all that He has made.

It’s not too late to find joy and renewed worship in an awareness that wasexpressed by GeorgeMacDonald more than a hundred years ago:

If it were not for theoutside world, we shouldhave no inside world tounderstand things by.Least of all could weunderstand God withoutthese millions of sightsand sounds and scentsand motions weaving theirendless harmonies. Theycome out from His heartto let us know a little ofwhat is in it (What’sMine’s Mine, p.29).

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GOD’S RELATIONTO CREATIONGOD MADE IT AND OWNS IT

In the beginning Godcreated the heavens andthe earth (Gen. 1:1).

The land must not besold permanently, becausethe land is Mine and youare but aliens and Mytenants (Lev. 25:23 NIV).

The earth is the Lord’s,and all its fullness, theworld and those whodwell therein (Ps. 24:1).The Word of God tells

us that “God created theheavens and the earth”(Gen. 1:1). And according to the New Testament, thesame Jesus who came intothis world to rescue us fromourselves is the One whofirst made our world andeverything that is in it.

He is the image of theinvisible God, the firstbornover all creation. For byHim all things were

created that are in heavenand that are on earth,visible and invisible,whether thrones ordominions or principalitiesor powers. All things werecreated through Him andfor Him (Col. 1:15-16).

George MacDonaldwrote, “If the world is God’s,every true man and womanought to feel at home in it.Something is wrong if thecalm of the summer nightdoes not sink into the heart,

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The same Jesuswho came into

this world to rescue us

from ourselves is the One who first made our

world andeverything in it.



for it embodies the peace of God. Something is wrongin the man to whom thesunrise is not a divine glory,for therein is embodied thetruth, the simplicity, and the might of the Maker.”This 19th-century writerobviously believed andunderstood that we live and breathe in a world thatshouts the reality of Godfrom every piece of matterand every natural event.

Almost without question, the mostsignificant differencebetween the worldview of the Bible and the beliefsof secular humanism is theChristian understanding thatGod made the earth and itbelongs to Him. What comesof this belief is significant.When we are users andoccupiers of property thatbelongs to someone else, we rightfully consider theinterests of the owner as well as our own. In fact, astenants and stewards, our

own interests are secondaryto that of the owner.

Our challenge in any useof the land, air, time, or lifethat belongs to God is to askhow we can use what Hehas made so that we willhonor Him and find joy for ourselves. More than ahundred years ago, AdamClarke saw the practicalimplications of God’sownership when he wrote:

The works of the Lord aremultitudinous and varied.They are so constructedas to show the mostconsummate wisdom intheir design, and in theend for which they areformed. They are all God’sproperty, and should beused only in reference tothe end for which theywere created. All abuseand waste of God’screatures are spoil androbbery on the property of the Creator (quoted bySpurgeon in The TreasuryOf David, p.335).

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“All abuse and waste of God’s creatures are spoiland robbery on the propertyof the Creator.” How that

reality should awaken us to a fuller awareness of ourhigh calling to care for whatGod cares for!

Those words take meback to my late twentieswhen, as a frustratedsquirrel hunter one fall, I shot a porcupine high in a huge oak—merelybecause it was there and I had an unspent shotgunshell in my gun! Porcupinesare common in Michigan’s

north woods, and they arevirtually unprotected bygame laws because they are considered “nuisanceanimals,” like woodchucks,gophers, and chipmunks.

I believe that God, who notes the death of acommon sparrow, watchesover all that He has made.Now I realize that theshame I felt looking into thelifeless eyes of one of God’screatures I had thoughtlesslywasted might have been areflection of God’s ownheart. But at the time, I passed it off as anunmanly emotion.

How can we celebrate the wonder of God in creation?By acknowledging that as theCreator’s landholders, we areto examine the Word of Godand prayerfully consider howwe are to occupy His territoryand manage His works in amanner that glorifies Him.

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“All abuse andwaste of God’s

creatures are spoiland robbery on the property of the Creator.”—Adam Clarke



GOD LOVES IT ANDCARES FOR IT

The Lord is good to all;He has compassion on all He has made. . . . TheLord is faithful to all Hispromises and lovingtoward all He has made. . . . You open Your handand satisfy the desires ofevery living thing. TheLord is righteous in all His ways and lovingtoward all He has made(Ps. 145:9,13,16-17 NIV).I have been surprised

to discover how many times the psalmist declaredthat God has “love” and“compassion” for all thethings He has created. Someof the Hebrew terms indicatethat God cares for thecreation in a similar waythat a mother cares for theone she has given birth to.

To get a rich picture ofGod’s compassion and carefor man, the animals, theplants, and the lifeless butdynamic forces of the earth,

read Psalms 65, 104, 145,147, and 148. While theSermon on the Mountexpressly states that Godvalues man above thecreatures (Mt. 6:25-34), theentire thrust of Scripture—from paradise lost inGenesis to paradise regainedin Revelation—is that Godtreasures and takes pleasurenot in man alone but ineverything He created.

Itinerant preacher JohnWoolman, years before the American Revolution,expressed this in his diaryafter a long ocean voyagethat resulted in the disregard

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God cares for the creation in asimilar way that amother cares forthe one she hasgiven birth to.



and needless death ofdomesticated fowl:

I often remembered theFountain of goodness,who gave being to allcreatures, and whoselove extends to caring forthe sparrows. I believewhere the love of God isverily perfected, and thetrue spirit of governmentwatchfully attended to, a tenderness toward allcreatures made subject to us will be experienced,and a care felt in us thatwe do not lessen thatsweetness of life in theanimal creation whichthe great Creator intendsfor them under ourgovernment.Psalm 145:9 declares,

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on allHe has made” (NIV). In The Treasury Of David,Charles Haddon Spurgeonconcludes, “The duty ofkindness to animals maylogically be argued from

this verse. Should not thechildren of God be like theirFather in kindness?” (p.379).

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By acknowledgingGod’s care and compassionfor the entire creation andseeking to do all we can todemonstrate that care—especially by refraining fromabusing what He loves andcares for.

GOD REVEALSHIMSELF THROUGH IT

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows Hishandiwork. Day unto dayutters speech, and nightunto night revealsknowledge. There is no speech nor languagewhere their voice is notheard (Ps. 19:1-3).In Psalm 19, David

reminds us that God speaks to us through twobooks. One book is the

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written Word of God (vv.7-11). The other revelation isthe masterpiece of creation,which eloquently revealsGod to every person everyday. All people in all times

from the very beginninghave been created by Godwith such an awareness.Those who do not hear God speaking through thenatural world have deceivedthemselves. The apostlePaul spelled this out clearlyin his letter to the Christiansin Rome:

The wrath of God isrevealed from heavenagainst all ungodliness

and unrighteousness ofmen, who suppress thetruth in unrighteousness,because what may beknown of God is manifestin them, for God hasshown it to them. Forsince the creation of theworld His invisibleattributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that aremade, even His eternalpower and Godhead, sothat they are withoutexcuse (Rom. 1:18-20).A fascinating precedent

for Paul’s argument that Godreveals Himself through the natural world is found in the ancient tragedy and poetry of Job. As thedrama of Job unfolds, wefind him writhing in pain,misunderstood by hisfriends, and confused by his own inability to explainhis plight. Job was hurt. Hefelt abandoned and betrayedby the God he had tried to serve. He was angry

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God speaks to us through two

books: the writtenWord of God andthe masterpiece

of creation.



because he thought Godwas unfairly tormenting himand allowing his friends tothink he was suffering forsome terrible secret sin.

Finally, after lengthy,frustrated, and angryconversations between Joband his friends, God Himselfspoke. From out of a violentwhirlwind, the Creatorcaptured Job’s attention and challenged him to takeanother look at the naturalworld. The Lord asked Job to consider ecology, theanimals, and the patterns of weather and seasons Hehad made. God humbledand then comforted Job witha series of piercing questionsthat begin with:

Who is this who darkenscounsel by words withoutknowledge? Now prepareyourself like a man; I willquestion you, and youshall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if

you have understanding(Job 38:2-4). In the middle of the

questioning, God allowedJob to speak, but thedevastated patriarch couldonly mutter, “Behold, I amvile; what shall I answerYou? I lay my hand over my mouth” (40:4).

The purpose of theCreator’s interrogation wasfor Job to understand fromthe world around Him that a God who is wise andpowerful enough to havecreated the natural world is certainly great enough to know what He is doing in allowing Job’s suffering.

Humbled by what Godhad said through the naturalworld, Job confessed, “Ihave uttered what I did not understand, things toowonderful for me, which Idid not know” (42:3).

Even when God is notspeaking verbally, the studyof the creation speaks withan eloquence that compels

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us to stand in silent wonderbefore the Creator: elementsof basic matter that behavein ways unimagined, andclumps of galaxies so vast in number and expanse

that even broad humancategories like “light years”become almost meaningless.Smallness gets ever smaller,and bigness gets ever bigger.The attempt to bring it allinto the scope of humanunderstanding has donewhat it has always done:

We either see God andworship Him in great awe and humility, or we “suppress the truth”(Rom. 1:18) and wander in self-imposed blindness.

The view that creation is God’s “other book” issupported by classicaltheology, which includes the creation as the majorcomponent of what is called“general revelation.” It is therevelation that has beengiven to all people, in alltimes, and in all places. Thisrefers to the natural worldand its processes, or naturallaw—what Paul calls “thelaw written in their hearts”and revealed by theconscience (Rom. 2:15). It also includes humanhistory—the record of God’scontinuous sovereign willdemonstrated in the affairsof people.

Truth is revealed to us not only in specialrevelation (the Bible) butalso in general revelation

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Even when God is not speaking

verbally, the study of the creationspeaks with aneloquence that

compels us to standin silent wonder

before the Creator.



(the creation). Christianeducator Frank Gaebeleinunderstood this well whenhe said, “All truth is God’struth.”

The point that Godreveals Himself to usthrough the natural world is captured in thehymn “I Sing The MightyPower Of God” written byIsaac Watts:

I sing the mighty power of GodThat made the mountains rise,That spread the

flowing seas abroadAnd built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained

The sun to rule the day;The moon shines full

at His command,And all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord

That filled the earth with food;

He formed the creatureswith His word

And then pronounced them good.

Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed

Where’er I turn my eye:If I survey the ground I tread,

Or gaze upon the sky!There’s not a plant

or flower below But makes Thy glories known;

And clouds arise and tempests blow

By order from Thy throne; While all that borrows

life from TheeIs ever in Thy care,

And everywhere that man can be,

Thou, God, art present there.

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By observing thecreation carefully andreverently to discover thecountless ways it reveals Godand His attributes to us.

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OUR RELATIONTO CREATIONWE AREDEPENDENT UPON IT

When I shut up heavenand there is no rain, orcommand the locusts todevour the land, or sendpestilence among Mypeople, if My people whoare called by My name willhumble themselves, andpray and seek My face,and turn from their wickedways, then I will hear fromheaven, and will forgivetheir sin and heal theirland (2 Chr. 7:13-14).

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for theservice of man, that hemay bring forth food fromthe earth, and wine thatmakes glad the heart ofman, oil to make his faceshine, and bread whichstrengthens man’s heart(Ps. 104:14-15).

We cannot survivewithout the fruit of the earth.While hundreds of passagesin God’s special revelation(the book of God’s words)support this fact, generalrevelation (the book of God’sworks) also reminds us ofthis truth daily. We aretotally dependent upon thefruitfulness of the creationfor our health and livelihood.

This dependence is why we need to give carefulconsideration to the biblicalprinciple of sowing andreaping. This principle says,in essence, that if we sowfoolish and sinful behavior,we will reap negativeconsequences. Sometimesthe consequences are theresult of God’s direct actionin punishment for sin, suchas the curse on creation thatresulted from Adam andEve’s sin of disobedience—and for which we are stillreaping negative results.Other times we reap thenatural effects of ignorant

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or careless behavior.America’s Dust Bowl yearsduring the Great Depressionand the Soviet Union’sChernobyl nuclear disasterare examples of this sort of reaping.

Often, both natural andsupernatural consequencesoccur. A prime example isthe result of Israel’s failureto give the land rest incompliance with theSabbath laws of God. Therewere both natural andsupernatural reasons forSabbath-keeping. Naturallythe Sabbath laws providedthe rest the land neededfrom being pressed too hardfor its produce. People andanimals also required thiscessation of work.

There were, however,spiritual reasons for thekeeping of the Sabbath.When the people violatedthe Sabbath laws, Godsupernaturally broughtjudgment upon them. Readthe reasons for Judah’s

captivity in 2 Chronicles 36.This account is summed upin verses 20 and 21:

Those who escaped fromthe sword he carried awayto Babylon, where theybecame servants to himand his sons until the ruleof the kingdom of Persia,

to fulfill the word of theLord by the mouth ofJeremiah, until the landhad enjoyed her Sabbaths.As long as she laydesolate she kept Sabbath,to fulfill seventy years.

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It is our “innerworld” that is

violated when wethoughtlessly dismiss

God’s command to care for the

“outer world” Hehas given to us.



God is concerned aboutthe care of our spiritualnature. And it is that “innerworld” that is violated whenwe thoughtlessly dismissGod’s command to care forthe “outer world” He hasgiven to us.

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By recognizingthat the creation is thenatural and material sourceof life and health for allcreatures, and by seeking to protect and preserve itscapacity to be fruitful.

WE ARE STEWARDS OF IT

The Lord God took theman and put him in thegarden of Eden to tendand keep it (Gen. 2:15).

For everyone to whommuch is given, from himmuch will be required;and to whom much hasbeen committed, of himthey will ask the more (Lk. 12:48).

Everyone who is a parentknows well those times whenyou crawl into bed at nightexhausted after spending thegreater part of each day inservice to your children. In the midst of your child-rearing days, every activityseems attached one way oranother to your children.Any thought you previouslyhad about the glamour orthe power of being the onein authority over your ownchildren returns to mock youas you change a dirty diaperor try to quiet your terrifiedchild while an emergencyroom physician applys a cast to a broken arm. “Sothis is what it’s like to be incharge!” you muse.

The previous pointsregarding our shared relationwith God to creation all leadto a similar reality: God putman in charge of developingall the potentialities He builtinto the natural world. Thisis poetically described for us by David in Psalm 8:

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You have made [man] a little lower than theangels, and You havecrowned him with gloryand honor. You havemade him to havedominion over the worksof Your hands; You haveput all things under hisfeet, all sheep and oxen—even the beasts of thefield, the birds of the air,and the fish of the sea thatpass through the paths ofthe seas. O Lord, ourLord, how excellent isYour name in all theearth! (vv.5-9).Just as our children

are bundles of potentialsurrounded by forces thatwould destroy them, theearth is a huge ball ofpotential surrounded bydangerous forces. Godcursed the earth because of Adam’s sin, so we arecompelled to work hard tomaintain proper dominion in a realm that is marked by tendencies for decline.

Some Bible scholars haveaptly observed that mankindis the “servant species” onthe earth. Although we havebeen given dominion byGod the Creator, we carryout our dominion tasks in a manner that emulates theServant-King Jesus who

said, “The Son of Man didnot come to be served, butto serve” (Mt. 20:28). In our dominion, we mustunderstand that we areservants of God. In a sense, we are servants in the middle: We serve the Creator of the earth as well as His creation.

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God put man in charge of

developing all thepotentialities He

built into thenatural world.



This truth is highlightedin Genesis 2:15 where thetask of tending and keepingthe earth, in the fullest senseof the Hebrew words, meansdoing work for someone,serving someone, saving life,and observing, guarding,and protecting the land. The English term that bestcharacterizes our role isstewardship.

A steward is one whom his master has left in charge. When all the biblical passages about stewardship andservanthood are summedup, they indicate this aboutour stewardship for God:

• We are expected toincrease the yield of our Master’s property—which precludeswasting or spoiling it(Gen. 1:28; Mt. 25:14-30; Lk. 16:1-2).

• We are to seek toexemplify our Master in dealing with othersunder our stewardship(Mt. 10:25; 18:23-35).

• We are expected tocarry out our duties to our Master faithfullyand in a timely manner (Mt. 24:45-51;25:21,23).

• We are directlyanswerable to ourMaster and can expectconsequences for failureto obey Him (Gen.2:16-17; 3:14-19; Mt.25:14-30; Lk. 12:45-48;16:1-2; Rom. 14:12).

• We have reason toexpress our gratituderegularly to our Master(Ps. 1–150; Rom. 1:21; 2 Cor. 9:10-11; Phil. 4:6).

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We are servants in the middle: Weserve the Creator

of the earth as wellas His creation.



• We anticipate ourMaster’s return (Mt.24:45-51; Lk. 12:35-38).

Approaching God’s creation with this understanding ofstewardship will humble us. We have been given a great responsibility and a great opportunity as“earthkeepers” to take whatGod has given us, and tohonor His name in its useand development.

Because of thecomplicated division oflabor in modern society andbecause of the economiccircumstances in which welive, we are often unaware ofthe influence we have on theearth and on its capacity toremain fruitful.

Most of us today do notdirectly till the soil to obtainour food—someone elsedoes that. But we need toremember that every dollarwe spend on food indirectlyputs a tiller through the soil, applies agricultural

chemicals, harvests producefrom living plants, and turnsignition keys on motorizedvehicles to get that food tous. The same is true for ourclothing, our shelter, and ourother necessities—and ourwants. We must be asdiligent to consider theimpact those activities haveon the creation as was thefarmer of old. He daily facedthe reality that if he did notcare for his land properly hedirectly threatened his ownlife and the lives of all whodepended on hisstewardship skills.

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By rememberingthat ultimately we are eitherfaithful or unfaithful stewardsof God’s creation and that weare answerable to our Masterfor our choices. We are toaim for God’s “goodearthkeeping seal ofapproval.”

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OUR RELATIONTO GODTHROUGHCREATIONIT PROVIDES US THE OPPORTUNITYTO WORSHIP

You are worthy, O Lord,to receive glory and honorand power; for Youcreated all things, and byYour will they exist andwere created (Rev. 4:11).

Every creature which isin heaven and on theearth and under the earthand such as are in the sea,and all that are in them, Iheard saying: “Blessingand honor and glory andpower be to Him who sitson the throne, and to theLamb, forever and ever!”(Rev. 5:13).Not too many years ago

I had the opportunity to tagalong on a Christian collegestudy trip to Yellowstoneand the Grand Tetons. On a late afternoon that I will

never forget, we pulled theschool van into the parkingarea near the frequentlyphotographed little chapelthat lies dwarfed on theplateau just east of theTetons.

Our group was nearlyalone at the time, so thebiology professor pulled out a cassette tape he hadbrought just for this occasionand put it in the van’s tapeplayer. Instructing us to get

out and separate a little fromeach other, he opened all thedoors and turned up to fullvolume an unforgettablerecording of “How Great

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The creation is awe-inspiring because itreflects the infinitewisdom and power

of the One whoconceived it.



Thou Art!” Soon the grandscenery was veiled by thetears in my eyes as thewords of that wonderful song stirred my soul:

When thru the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

In such a setting we coulddo nothing else but worship.It was as though we wereliving the doxology, praisingGod from whom all blessingsflow and praising Him withall creatures here below.I’m sure for all people in all times, an overwhelmingexperience with nature hasstimulated them to worship.

Having reason toworship, however, does notmean that we will take the

opportunity to do so. Paulconfirmed this in the firstchapter of Romans. Sadly,those who attempt todeclare independence from the Creator choose toworship the creation instead.Paul elaborated:

Although they knew God,they did not glorify Himas God, nor were thankful,but became futile in theirthoughts, and their foolishhearts were darkened.Professing to be wise, they became fools, andchanged the glory of theincorruptible God into an image made likecorruptible man—andbirds and four-footedanimals and creepingthings. Therefore God also gave them up touncleanness, in the lustsof their hearts, to dishonortheir bodies amongthemselves, whoexchanged the truth of God for the lie, andworshiped and served the

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creature rather than theCreator, who is blessedforever (Rom. 1:21-25).The creation is awe-

inspiring because it reflectsthe infinite wisdom andpower of the One whoconceived it. It holdsmarvels and secrets thatastound all who find them.According to the Bible, this natural world joins the prophets of the ages,eloquently declaring to allpeople, in all places, and in all times the glory of theCreator God.

For those who reject theCreator, the only alternativeis to unwittingly worship thework of the Creator’s hand.Man, the crown of creationwho was made in thelikeness of God, is the mostlikely god-substitute. Havingfound countless ways ofusing the creation to fashionalternative gods, manindulges his own desire for independence andimmediate pleasure.

Historically, the sun, themoon, the animal kingdom,the oceans, and “MotherEarth” have all taken turnsreceiving worship from arebel race that is bound toworship anything other thanthe One who alone deservesto be worshiped.

Yet when creation isallowed to speak for itself,the sun, the stars, themountains, and the oceansjoin with all of the plantsand animals of the world to declare the unsurpassedglory of the one true God.

This capacity of thecreation to inspire worship

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For those who reject the Creator,the only alternative

is to unwittinglyworship the work ofthe Creator’s hand.



for its Creator has forhundreds of years beencelebrated in the hymns ofthe faith. Consider the song“Joyful, Joyful, We AdoreThee” with the lyrics ofHenry van Dyke and themagnificent music fromBeethoven’s NinthSymphony:

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,

Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,Stars and angels

sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise.

Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flowery meadow,

flashing sea,Chanting bird

and flowing fountain, Call us to rejoice in Thee.

This and many otheranthems of praise poeticallyexpress the truth of theScriptures, which indicatethat the natural world is in many ways a cathedralbuilt with God’s own hands.

Entering that sanctuary on a warm spring morning, wecan easily sense that all of nature joins with us inworship of the Creator. Like the psalmist, we canimagine the trees clappingtheir hands and themountains and streamspraising God—praising Him

that they can serve Him by doing what they werecreated to do. Similarly, weneed a steward’s empathyfor a natural world sooppressed by the curse andabused by sinful humanitythat it groans in its longingfor the day when it willshare in our final andcomplete redemption at

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The natural world is in many ways acathedral built withGod’s own hands.



the second coming of Christ(Rom. 8:18-23).

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By recognizingand enjoying our humbleposition as fellow worshiperswith a natural world, andmysteriously joining togetherto give praise to our mutualCreator, Sustainer, andRedeemer.

IT PROVIDES US THE OPPORTUNITYTO WITNESS

Oh, give thanks to theLord, for He is good! ForHis mercy endures forever.Let the redeemed of theLord say so, whom He hasredeemed from the hand ofthe enemy, and gatheredout of the lands, from theeast and from the west,from the north and fromthe south (Ps. 107:1-3).I have a friend who is

a professor of ecology in astate university. He’s also acommitted Christian. A few

years ago, he was presentinga Christian view of ecologyto an audience that includeda nationally influentialJewish rabbi. At theconclusion of thepresentation, the rabbiremarked to him, “Your talkalmost convinces me that Iought to reconsider Jesus.”My friend, of course, wasamazed to hear such aconfession. It affirmed forhim that a Christian view ofcreation and its significanceis rarely understood outsideChristian circles—and only a little less rarely withinChristian circles.

From that experience,and many others, thisuniversity professordiscovered that when theChristian truth about theearth is presented in thehearing of unbelievers, itcompels them to listen. Thebiblical view of the origin,meaning, and destiny of theearth, in combination withthe whole of the gospel,

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provides the only answer forthe world’s environmentalills and crises caused by sin. In his book The Body,Charles Colson concurs:

We should be contendingfor truth in every area oflife. Not for power orbecause we are takenwith some trendy cause,but humbly to bring gloryto God. For this reason,Christians should be themost ardent ecologists.Not because we wouldrather save spotted owlsthan cut down treeswhose bark provideslifesaving medicine, but because we aremandated to keep theGarden, to ensure thatthe beauty and grandeurGod has reflected innature is not despoiled.We should care foranimals. Not becausewhales are our brothers,but because animals arepart of God’s kingdomover which we are to

exercise dominion(p.197).The sad fact is

that the church has poorly understood anddemonstrated the biblicalprinciples concerning ourstewardship role overcreation. In his book on the Christian view of ecology mentioned earlier,Francis Schaeffer talks about the responsibility of the church to address the environmental stresssuffered by God’s creation:

A truly biblicalChristianity has a realanswer to the ecologicalcrisis. It offers a balancedand healthy attitude tonature, arising from thetruth of its creation by God; it offers the hope here and now ofsubstantial healing innature of some of theresults of the Fall, arising from the truth ofredemption in Christ. . . .A Christian-based science

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and technology shouldconsciously try to seenature substantiallyhealed, while waiting forthe complete futurehealing at Christ’s return(Pollution And The DeathOf Man: The ChristianView Of Ecology, p.81).

As followers of Christ, ifwe are not demonstrating

care and concern for thehandiwork of the God wesay we love and worship, we are missing a greatopportunity to show theworld that the truth of God’sWord addresses all theworld’s distresses. Inaddition, we will suffer fromthe spiritual anemia thatcomes from a failure to applythe whole counsel of God toour Christian behavior. Weneed to understand that wecannot demonstrate respectfor our Creator and Savior at the same time we aredemonstrating disrespect forHis creation. After all, weand creation will share in theeventual restoration andreconciliation of all things(Acts 3:20-21; Col. 1:20).

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By taking everyopportunity to demonstrate to the watching world aproper concern for all things that come from thehand of our Creator.

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“A Christian-basedscience and

technology shouldconsciously try to see naturesubstantially healed, whilewaiting for

the complete future healing atChrist’s return.”—Francis Schaeffer



OUR RELATIONTO OTHERSTHROUGHCREATIONWE SHARE IT WITHOUR NEIGHBORS

Do not do anything thatendangers your neighbor’slife. I am the Lord. Do nothate your brother in yourheart. Rebuke yourneighbor frankly so youwill not share in his guilt.Do not seek revenge orbear a grudge against oneof your people, but loveyour neighbor as yourself(Lev. 19:16-18 NIV).We tend to think of

technology as somethingnew. It isn’t. It’s beenaround since Adam.Technology is nothing more than creative peopleusing the elements of thecreation to do their work.Unfortunately, because ofAdam’s sin and the resultantcurse on the creation,technological processes and

products have always beenused in ways both evil andgood. Cain could use a stickhe had sharpened to till thesoil—and he could use it tokill his brother.

�T echnology is significanttoday because of its extent,its effectiveness, and itscapacity to bring about rapidchange. Technological skilland increased scientificknowledge, along with the advantages anddisadvantages, complicateliving in ways unimaginedjust 50 years ago.

This knowledge, whicharises out of God’s “otherbook” of general revelation,raises many questions abouthow Christians ought to liveas they seek to glorify theCreator through obedienceto His mandates—inparticular the mandate to love our neighbor.

Many pages could bewritten to illustrate both thebenefits and dangers wehave inherited through our

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technology. Included in thediscussion would be issueslike human-caused globalclimate change, air andwater pollution, soil erosion,noise pollution, species loss,and fisheries depletion.

The point of such adelineation for Christianswould be to understand thatthe possibility for us tonegatively influence ourneighbor’s life and livelihoodhas increased a thousand-fold since Bible times. Thisunderstanding increases ourresponsibility to considerothers in all we do. It istempting for us to ignoreinformation about thepossible negative effects ofour behavior and lifestyles.But it is just as sinful to dothat today as it was whenlife was simpler.

We who believe in Christ the Creator have anobligation to make all ourchoices with compassionateconcern for our neighborsnext door, down stream, or

down wind from us.Technology can make our living easier, morecomfortable, more exciting,and more profitable. At thesame time, it can devastateGod’s creation in such a way

that suffering is created forpeople on the other side ofthe street—and on the otherside of the globe.

How can we celebratethe wonder of God in

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As Christians,we have an

obligation to makeall our choices

with compassionateconcern for our

neighbors next door,down stream,or down wind

from us.



creation? By workingdiligently to see that our useof the creation does not hurtour neighbor—near or far,directly or indirectly.

WE SHARE IT WITH FUTUREGENERATIONS

Be careful to seek out allthe commandments of theLord your God, that youmay possess this goodland, and leave it as aninheritance for yourchildren after you forever(1 Chr. 28:8).

If anyone does notprovide for his relatives,and especially for hisimmediate family, he hasdenied the faith and isworse than an unbeliever(1 Tim. 5:8 NIV).In the 1980s,

commentators often called the youngergeneration the “MeGeneration” or the “NowGeneration.” They saw adisturbing attitude among

young people that inessence said, “I want it all, and I want it now.”Considering the greed andmaterialism the youngergeneration saw in adults, the cumulative effect ofthousands of hours ofexposure to “consumer”advertising, the loss ofinterest in history, thedisintegration of theinstitutions of family and marriage, and thedecline of religious values, it is understandable thatthey would be characterizedby self-centeredness.

Contrast that with theattribute of altruism—unselfish concern for thewelfare of others. When theChristian values of faith inan eternal God, compassionfor others, self-sacrifice, andhope for the future disappearfrom the general culture,there is little chance thataltruism will survive. In fact,most people today wouldlikely have difficulty even

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defining the term altruism.As the combined

Scripture passages aboveindicate, people of the Wordhave a responsibility toprovide for their childrenand to leave for them an

inheritance of faith and thegift of good land—a creationrespected and well-kept.

Christian farmer-philosopher Wendell Berryhas written a number of

books that underscore the broad meaning ofcommunity—communitythat includes our ancestors,our current family membersand neighbors, our animals and land, and ourdescendants. These wordsfrom the book What ArePeople For? have caused meto consider more carefullythe legacy I am leaving:

We do not need to devisea “world of the future”; ifwe take care of the worldof the present, the futurewill have received fulljustice from us. A goodfuture is implicit in thesoils, forests, grasslands,marshes, deserts,mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans that wehave now; the only valid“futurology” available tous is to take care of thosethings. We have no needto contrive and dabble at“the future of the humanrace”; we have the samepressing need that we

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People of the Wordhave a responsibilityto provide for their

children and toleave for them aninheritance of faithand the gift of goodland—a creationrespected and

well-kept.



have always had—tolove, care for, and teachour children (p.188).Berry elaborates on this

last line in the book AnotherTurn Of The Crank:

I know of nothing that so strongly calls intoquestion our ability tocare for the world as ourpresent abuses of ourown reproductivity. Howcan we take care of othercreatures, all born likeourselves from theworld’s miraculousfecundity, if we haveforsaken the qualities of culture and characterthat inform the nurture of children. . . . Whateverthe reason, it is a factthat we are nowconducting a sort ofgeneral warfare againstchildren, who are beingaborted or abandoned,abused, drugged,bombed, neglected,poorly raised, poorly fed,poorly taught, and poorly

disciplined. Many ofthem will not only findno worthy work but nowork of any kind. All of them will inherit adiminished, diseased,

and poisoned world. Wewill visit upon them notonly our sins but ourdebts. We have set

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“We have no needto contrive anddabble at ‘thefuture of the

human race’; wehave the same

pressing need thatwe have always

had—to love, carefor, and teach our children.

—Wendell Berry



before them thousands ofexamples—governmental,industrial, andrecreational—suggestingthat the violent way isthe best way. And thenwe have the hypocrisy tobe surprised and troubledwhen they carry gunsand use them (pp.78-79).This sobers me. As one

who believes in Christ, I’dlike to think he’s describingonly non-Christian people.But I’m afraid I see many of these behaviors andattitudes among ourselves.We’re a long way from being the community thattreasures our past, guardsour present, and secures our future. While we lookfor the any-moment returnof Christ, we cannot use this expectation to excuseourselves from theresponsibility to leave God’s gift of creation to ourchildren and their childrenwell-kept and undiminishedin its capacity to provide for

them what it has providedfor us.

How can we celebratethe wonder of God increation? By doingeverything we can to guard and protect its abilityto provide for our childrenand their children thetreasures we have enjoyedand received from it becauseof our parents’ and theirparents’ care and concern.

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We’re a long way from beingthe communitythat treasures

our past, guards our present, and

secures our future.



BELIEF ANDBEHAVIOR

TThe EnvironmentalMovement and theNew Age Movement

have primarily non-Christianorigins. They frequently callfor beliefs and behaviorsregarding the earth that arecontrary to the Word ofGod. As a result, manyfollowers of Christ tend tothink that care for the earthis a pagan concept tiedchiefly to earth worship.

Care for God’s creationwas a major concern of thechurch long before thesepopular movements. Asearly as the fifth centuryafter Christ, the church wasobserving “rogation days” inthe spring of the year to askGod’s blessing on the cropsbeing planting and thankingHim for His provision. Thispractice was common inNorth America well into the 19th century.

Concern about the

negative impact ofcommercialism andmaterialism on God’screation has been expressedthrough much of the 20thcentury. In his essay “TheIdea Of A Christian Society”(1939), T. S. Eliot wrote, “A wrong attitude towardnature implies, somewhere,a wrong attitude towardGod” (p.62).

May our endeavor tocelebrate the wonder ofcreation stimulate in us theright attitude toward Godand toward His handiworkupon which we depend.

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“A wrong attitude towardnature implies,somewhere, awrong attitudetoward God.”

—T. S. Eliot



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