Care The Creation!

The English word "Environment" comes from the French word "Environ", which means "surrounding". Therefore, environment refers to things which are around us. 

As believers we know from the Bible that God created everything, including us humans. First book of the Bible tells us that He did create everything within six days. 

Obviously, the purpose of His creation was not the destruction of it after a shortwhile. Instead, He created it so that man could enjoy it. Few verses in Genesis reveal this fact:

"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so." (Gen 1:26‭-‬30 ESV). 

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”" (Gen 2:8‭, ‬15‭-‬17 ESV). 

But how can we enjoy it if we ourselves destroy it, which was originally intended to be exploited in a very positive sense of the word? Humans are really not careful. They can't see beyond themselves. They don't bother littering wastes everywhere. They don't bother exploiting resources for their own gain in a hapazard way. And, so will this help people? Definitely not. 

And of course, now Earth is fallen. Due to the disobedience of man, the curse of God has touched even the ground (Gen 2:17-19). But once again, does this mean that we are to use it carelessly? No. Not at all. The Bible doesn't encourage this anywhere. Rather, the Bible says that the Earth will be renewed (Matt. 19:28; Rom. 8:19, 20). Yes, God himself will renew it. After all, He didn't create it so that He could destroy it. So, who are we to destroy which is intended to endure? 

Another purpose of God in creation was to demonstrate his glory (Rom. 2:19-20). Yes, "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1 ESV). But, isn't our misbehave trying to diminish it? Do you think He is happy with this? 

Therefore, if we really are to enjoy creation, we must care it. You cannot milk cow unless you care her, can you? Caring earth is not only the duty of environmental activists. But we all also must care our environment. We must do our best to protect our earth against any pollution and degradation. May God bless us in the process. Thank you.

With love,
Sajan Shrestha, SST Teacher.
Kavre, Nepal.