Well, today is Earth Day.
And many fundamentalists around the globe are saying, So What?!
In fact, as I was growing up “Earth Day” had a hideous reputation (in my circles) of being some kind of “liberal” conspiracy to turn our planet into an idol.

Many conservatives (fundamentalist and evangelical alike) disdain any talk of caring for our planet. Whether it is the hot topic of global warming or the initiative to recycle, I have observed a deliberate apathy among many Christians.

This can be aptly illustrated by a comment I read a couple days ago posted on a blog which was discussing Bush’s new global warming policy.
Here it is (and it’s a doozie…):

“Imagine trying to save the Earth from global warming. The same Earth that God is going to destroy in His own time.”

Not only is that really bad theology, it is really bad theology.

Which makes me wonder – How did we as the church get here?
Have we fallen prey to Biblical amnesia and forgotten about the very first commandment that God gave us as human beings?

Genesis 1:26-28
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Genesis 2:15

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

God created this earth, and said that it was good.
It is the amazing work of His hand, and He entrusted it to us!

Here in the pages of Genesis is a Creation Mandate – which simply means – it is part of God’s fundamental design that we as image-bearers care for His earth in order to reflect our God’s character. He keeps everything in balance, and we are called to do our best to tend to our planet.

Now, it is important to note that we are to subdue the earth – which means that yes, we as humans are superior to and in charge of animals and geological elements.
So, we should never make environmental causes our “god”, and we should not be consumed with caring for the earth.

But, care for it we must.
The best we know how.

This is not a post to declare global warming as “the most pressing issue of our time” or “the greatest hoax of our time”.
I am not a scientist, and I believe the scientific data is still coming in on this issue.

But I have studied the Bible a little, and I know what the Bible tells me. Whatever we conclude about global warming, we as image-bearers must be engaged in conserving our planet – graciously, realistically, and wisely.

Even if we have dropped the ball, it is time to prayerfully pick it back up.

The last couple of days I have spent countless time pondering the beautiful intricacy of life.
I know of few things more heart-pounding, more soul-gripping than watching your child come into this world.
Every part of the journey is absolutely spectacular – from the miracle of conception to the painful but awesome process of birth.
As each of my children were born, I couldn’t help but wonder how so many people observe this miracle of life and yet their spiritual center remains unaffected, unmoved. Doctors. Nurses. Mothers. Fathers.
How can someone not be driven to an awe of a mighty, wise, beautiful God who creates us all?
How can someone believe that life in all of its wonder evolved over time by chance?

This lead me to consider Charles Darwin as I held my sleeping newborn the other night (I know, a little weird). I began to wonder if he had ever held a newborn baby on his chest. Had he ever observed the mystery of life?

As I researched his life briefly, I discovered the answer to that: yes.
Darwin had 10 children, and history tells us he was a devoted family man.
Yet my cursory study of his life also uncovered another interesting thing – Darwin knew the painful mystery of death.
Charles Darwin lost two of his children while they were infants, and another of his daughters died at the age of ten.
Many people believe that the deaths of his children pushed Darwin overboard into the sea of skepticism, and this was when the religious faith he had as a child dissipated.

It is no wonder Darwin continued to make sense of this world with only the tools of observable science, and he ignored the Biblical concept of a loving Creator God. How could God be loving if he allowed such atrocities?

Death is one of the many injustices we experience, one of the many cruel effects of the curse.
And yet we still bring our children into this world, knowing they will face pain and heartache.

That is why I am thankful there is a loving Creator God. A God who formed my little daughter. A God who gives us grace to navigate life and death.