September 15: Greenpeace Day
On 15th September we celebrate Greenpeace Day. The now internationally recognized organization for ecological issues was originally founded by a group of 17 activists in Vancouver, Canada, protesting against offshore nuclear testing in Alaska on this date in 1971.
While political issues swirl around this organization, it does raise the issue of stewarding the earth as the gift from God that it is. This is where good biblical balance is required. Romans 1 gives us unique insight into the core of the problem surrounding environmental activism.
We
read there that “the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For
what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to
them. 20 For
his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine
nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been
made. So they are without excuse.”
In other words, the creation is a means to an
end, not an end in itself. It is there
to point us to God and to reveal Him to mankind. And it is glorious! You cannot drink in the beauty and complexity
of the creation without concluding that there is a God, and that He deserves
our worship. But….the same passage goes
on to say “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. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged
the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds
and animals and creeping things.24 Therefore God
gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring
of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they
exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the
creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
Here is the problem. Rather
than a means to the end of glorifying God, the creation has become an end in
itself. It is a god! Here is where we must draw the line. We must treat the creation with care, even
reverence, but only to a point. We are
stewards of our world. But when the
creation takes the place of the Creator, we put ourselves in peril. We risk experiencing the “wrath of God”
unless we repent and seek The Truth.
Today, marvel at our world.
Watch a sunset or sunrise. YouTube
a video on how the ecosystems of our planet are stunningly resilient and fine
tuned. Sit on the shore of Lake Michigan
or the Gulf of Mexico and realize how small you are. But always let those things take you where
they were meant to—to the throne of grace, upon which sits the One who made it
all, and maintains it all. Take care, of
our world, and your eternity.
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