April 22, 2009. Do you know what day it it? Yes, of course. It is Wednesday. Today is Earth Day!! Happy Earth Day! (Oh, I know that just by stating that some of you are on edge.) ha ha. :-) I am not sure how thorough a job I can do but let me at least put some random thoughts out to get you thinking.
"If cleanliness is next to Godliness." Then, I believe that recycling should be next to Christianity.
Creation declares the Glory of God
Psalm 19:1-4: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
Psalm 96:1, 11-12: "Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth . . . Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy."
Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
God is the creator
Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..."
Isa. 40:12, 26: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? . . . Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name."
The Earth belongs to God
Col. 1:16b: "all things were created by him (Christ) and for him."
I Cor. 10:26: "'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.'"
Ps. 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
Deut. 10:14: "To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it."
God's attitude toward His creation
Ps. 65:1, 9-13: "Praise awaits you, O God . . . You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing."
Ps. 104:13-15, 21-24: "He (God) waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for humans to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."
I believe that being a good steward of God's creation is a clear principle in scripture. To ignore this command, is to disobey God. Ooh. I know that makes a lot of you readers uncomfortable. We are such a wasteful group of people. We consume so much and create so much trash. Have you ever thought about where your trash is going to end up? How long it takes to break down? The rate at which we produce trash is significantly higher than the rate at which trash breaks down. Consider this:
The New York Times (Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, October 1, 2001):
Paper- 2.5 months
Orange Peel- 6 months
Milk Carton- 5 years
Cigarette Butt- 10-12 years
Plastic bag- 10-20 years
Disposable diaper- 75 years
Tin can- 100 years
Aluminum can- 200-500 years
Styrofoam- never
I think sticking our heads in the sand is an ignorant approach. I believe that God will provide for my needs. I believe that God created nature in a self-sustaining form. BUT, man has interfered in many dimensions. I can give my daughter 100 dollars but if she doesn't spend it wisely - she will run out of money. We need to use the resources that God has given us wisely. We have been given a wonderful gift. . . nature is beautiful... it reflects God's character in many ways. If you want to live with trash in your backyard someday - it's your choice. But, don't come crying to me.... I warned you. ;-P
This is not a clear articulate argument for caring for creation but I just wanted to get you thinking.
20 ways you can help make our city green: (adapted from Creation Care Magazine Spring 08)
1. Walk or carpool
2. Turn up thermostat 3 degrees in summer, down 3 degrees in winter
3. Plant trees
4. Buy used rather than new - keep stuff out of landfills!
5. Work near home
6. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
7. Buy locally
8. Support Farmer's Markets
9. Pick up trash
10. Use cloth shopping bags
11. Buy green power
12. Turn off lights and computers when not in use
13. Unplug phone chargers, etc when not in use
14. Use nontoxic cleaning products
15. Hang a bird feeder
16. Recycle at church, home, and work
17. Install energy saving light bulb
18. Use water saving faucets and techniques
19. Teach your children awe & respect for God's creation
20. Honor the Sabbath
Did you know that there is an evangelical group of Christians that care about environmental issues? Check it out: www.creationcare.org