The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims God's handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (Psalm 19:1-4).

As you read this, look out a nearby window at a patch of blue sky. Or fill a glass with water. Touch the fibers of your clothing. All of these things--whether in their pure or processed form--are part of God's incredibly rich gift to us. In the most basic ways, we depend on God's creation. We could not live without the food that we get from the soil, rain and sunshine, without fresh water to drink or without air to breathe. Our lives are intertwined with the environment around us.

Creation can also inspire and inform our faith. Resting beside a flowing stream, encountering a tiny flower on the rocky face of a mountain, or hearing a thunderclap, we are reminded of the beauty and power of our Creator God. As God reminded Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7).

In Genesis, we read that God created the heavens and the earth and called them good (Genesis 1). God then entrusted humans with the task of stewarding this environment. Too often we have interpreted our role more as dominating extractors of resources than as loving caretakers of the garden. We have lost sight of the fact that the earth belongs to God (Psalm 24:1).

As Christians, we must repent of our part in this and make changes that reflect respect for God's creation. That includes individual decisions to recycle, consume less, and buy locally when possible. But it also includes advocating for policies that promote conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energies.

The Bible provides us with a vision of a restored creation that can guide us in our efforts. The creation comes full circle from Genesis to Revelation. John writes, "The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb… On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" (Revelation 22:1-2). There will be a new heaven and new earth (21:1), an unblemished creation in the final day. But until that time there is much work to do. God has entrusted us with a task. It is our duty to fulfill it.

Ten Scriptural Themes for Ecological Living

• God's wonderful creation is good (Genesis 1:31).
• God instructed humankind to tend creation (Genesis 2:15).
• The land is God's (Leviticus 25:23-24).
• Humankind has been charged with the opportunity and responsibility of being earthkeepers (Psalm 8:6-8).
• God owns the earth (Psalm 24:1).
• God is concerned about and cares for the creation (Psalm 104).
• God's creation, now disturbed by human sin, will one day be restored (Romans 8:21).
• Jesus has participated in the creation from the beginning and will be involved in its restoration (Colossians 1:15-16).
• Since Jesus was with God in creating the world, he is concerned about its proper care (John 1:2-3).
• All things in creation will be renewed (Revelation 21:5).

--from Christianity and the Environment: A Collection of Writings, MCC Occasional Paper by Art Meyer, 1991