Earth Day

After creating all things, God gave man and women the task of exercising dominion over all of creation:

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. (Genesis 1:28, ESV)

At the very least, this meant that Adam and Eve were to be good stewards of all that God had given to them. They were God's representatives on earth.

As Christians we should remind ourselves of at least four things: First, all things were created for God's glory. Everything belongs to Him and it was made for Him. Second, God gave us the animals, plants, water, etc. to be used by us. The things that God created are to be used in order to enable us to live and thrive in God's world. Third, although creation was made for our use, we have the responsibility to care for God's creation. Finally, stewardship of creation does not mean worship of creation. This is the mistake that many within our culture have made. Instead of honoring God as the Sovereign Creator, they have chosen to worship creation itself. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.(Romans 1:21-23, ESV).

When we fail to honor God, we will inevitably honor something else. We exchange the glory of the One, True God for idols. So, if we want to truly celebrate Earth Day, let us begin by repenting of our idolatry. Today is not a day to celebrate the earth, but a day to celebrate our Creator. Let us begin by honoring and thanking Him!