Have had a lot of conversations over the years with Dean about whether “earth care” should be one of our priorities.
We’ve always shared a love of the outdoors, even though he’s always been the teacher whenever we are out in the field or woods.
I’ll admit that I used to argue that this earth is timed to self-destruct and that followers of Christ need to be far more concerned with things that last than those that will pass away.
I’d talk about what Paul said about worshiping the creation more than the Creator.
But Dean would quote the first part of the chapter where Paul talks about the way God uses the natural world to point to the wonder of his own existence and character.Then he’d talk about Psalm 19 that describes how God not only speaks to us through his written word, but through creation itself.
We’d also talk about the way those who had lost interest in the God of the Bible seemed to be the ones who were far more interested in caring for the earth than those of us who say we worship the One who created the world and every good thing in it.
I’ll admit that Dean has had a big influence on me. Even though I’ve always been taken with the way God settled his debate with Job by asking him questions about nature, the weather, and a long list of amazing animals, birds, and creatures of the sea, it has taken Dean’s steady prodding to see how inconsistent it is for us to not cultivate the ongoing connection between Christ and his creation (John 1:1-3).
If I remember right, I think it was Dean who asked me something like, “Just because we believe we’re going to die someday (if Christ doesn’t come first) doesn’t mean we honor Christ by trashing our body does it?”
I think that may have been one of the 10 or so thoughts that caused me to think that maybe sharing a “wonder of and care for creation” is a most appropriate way honor our Creator/Savior and build bridges to those who think that saving spaceship earth is our only hope.
Note: Got the pics on recent walks...
Also got the following pictures from Steve in W. Va, with the following explanation excerpted from the string below.
By clicking once on the pics below–and also now on the pics above– they should enlarge– theoretically :-)
Mart, the pictures I sent are of a clear cut area along rt 90 near the Tucker& Grant county lines in West Virginia.
Very near the head spring of the Potomac River. In the background on the ridge tops you can see the new wind mills that are taking over our viewscape.
These windmills also kill a large number of bats and birds.
The very wind mills seen are called the Mountaineer Site. The bat kill the first year was recorded as well over 4 thousand.
The US Wildlife Service has told me that the company no longer reports Avain kills.
The clear cut forest belongs to the Western Pocohontus Land Company a subsidiary of CSX Railroad. Just a few miles from here is the Blackwater State Park and Canaan Valley State Park I hope this helps. Steve
(+36 rating, 41 votes)
Loading...