Sabbath Psalms - The World We Live In

Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

            Some days I worry about climate change and what kind of impact it will have on my grandchildren. Each year, our little planet is getting warmer, glaciers are retreating, and sea levels are rising. The weather is erratic, and I’ve never seen so many floods and torrential downpours in my thirty years of living in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. Some people say it’s just cyclical and eventually the climate will right itself. I don’t know about that; it seems like wishful thinking instead of finding a solution which will help my grandchildren. 

            Today’s highlighted verse reminds me that God is the Maker of this beautiful planet, so perhaps I should address God, asking for guidance and answers. If human beings are messing up what God created, then why doesn’t God intervene and set things right? As an artist, I take great pride in what I draw or paint, so I would hate it if someone vandalized or broke the work of my hands. This makes me wonder if God steps back from Creation to allow human beings to see how destructive we can be, in the hope that we would recognize our mistakes and start to apply our knowledge, wisdom, and skills to repair what we have broken and to cherish what God has made.

            The psalmist wrote that our help is in the name of the Lord which tells me that we need to cry to God in order to rely on God to remedy the climate crisis we are in. I think this is why more churches are focusing on environmental health as well as spiritual growth; it’s almost as if the Maker of heaven is encouraging us to be caretakers of the world we live in. I hope so, for the sake of my grandchildren and their grandchildren.

Point to ponder: What do I do in my life to care for the environment?

Prayer: Lord God, You created this unique planetary jewel that spins around the Sun as it moves through space. There’s nowhere else like it in our Solar System, so please help us recognize how fragile this world is by giving us the courage to repair the damage we have selfishly and sinfully caused. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

A Planetary Plea - Revelation 11:6

Revelation 11:6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (NIV)

We have some amazing scientists in our congregation, who are world-renowned in their specialized research fields. They all teach at the University of Tennessee and are exceptionally knowledgeable about global issues and environmental matters. All of them are currently concerned about the common rejection of scientific data and research on climate change, industrial pollution, and environmental damage across our nation and around the world. They have years of experience in these major fields and planetary issues; their wisdom is something that could help halt the damage and restore our precious world. Sadly, time appears to be running out for human beings to effectively reverse these concerns. A continued insistence of ignoring the key facts and a foolish denial of adopting real solutions will deeply impact the world that our children and grandchildren exist in. Our pride and contempt will steal their future, causing our generation to be blamed for refusing to deal with our planetary problems.

In ancient times, people were ignorant of what caused water to look like blood (red tide) or how to deal with earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, and floods. They were unable to either flee these terrible events or control the spread of the disaster. The Book of Revelation has many instances of people being destroyed by the elements. All of them were depicted as moments of God’s wrath over sinful people. However, today we have more information and scientific knowledge about what causes these things, helping us to diminish and avoid their major impacts. God gives us the intelligence to deal with them, but even He cannot compel us to accept the truth or facts. Human foolishness and capricious ignorance endanger all of our lives. Just because we don’t like what the scientists are telling us or can’t accept their solutions, does not mean that we are right and they are wrong. If anything, the history of humanity teaches us that when we ignore the facts, we end up suffering from the consequences of our own stupidity and inaction.

When I look into my grandson’s eyes, I think about how much I love him and all that I hope for his future within my heart. Andrew will make his own decisions as he journeys through life, but some of those choices will be affected by what my generation think, believe, say, and do. I pray that I will hand over a planet to him that is worth living in, therefore, I will strive to defeat any ignorance, foolishness, or pride that may threaten his future environment and global existence.

Point to ponder

Do I accept or reject current scientific data on the environment? Why?

Prayer: Lord God, You are the Creator of the world and the Sustainer of our planet. You see all of the damage and pollution that we are foolishly inflicting upon this precious jewel. Forgive our stupidity and open our hearts and minds to all that needs to be done in order to restore our world. Enable us to be willing to make sacrifices, as well as investments, which will heal and restore our planet. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come along and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s Bible drawings based on a verse from Psalm 119. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm119.

A Better Place - Exodus 16:2-3

Exodus 16:2-3 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (NIV)

            The ancient Israelites were an ungrateful community. They had been delivered by God from slavery and given the opportunity to begin their lives afresh, but because of the initial hardships that faced them, they yearned for the ‘good old days,’ of drudgery and bondage. They may have been miserable under their Egyptian taskmasters, but at least they could sit around pots of food and eat until their bellies were full. Instead of embracing the freedom God had given them, they were willing to throw it all away and return to slavery. They really were a thankless crowd of grumbling folks. Even though God’s grace was right in front of them, they didn’t appreciate His presence and gift for what it was: life with liberty.

            We live on a beautiful planet in a unique solar system. As we spin through space, are we aware of how much grace God has invested into our world? None of the other planets can sustain life. We have beauty all around us each day – mountains, valleys, rivers, seas – all with a remarkable abundance of life – and yet we are just as ungrateful as the ancient Israelites.

            Instead of celebrating the bounty that God has given, we constantly destroy what we have received. Rather than making this world a better place, we fill it with pride and bitterness, greed and hostility. This may be the only planet in our galaxy that has life, beauty, and wonder, but we ravage its resources, spoil its loveliness, and selflessly plunder the environment as if it all is personally owned by us. We forget that the world belongs to God – we are only His servants and tenants who are meant to preserve its uniqueness, protect its splendor, and pass it on caringly to our children. Initially, God gives it to us graciously in the hope that we will embrace this godly gift with thankfulness, respect, and love. May we one day fulfill that divine dream.

Point to ponder

What am I doing with my life to make the world a better place? What blessings of God’s grace am I passing on to the next generation?

Prayer: Lord God, You have given the uniqueness of life on our planet and we are blessed because of Your abundant grace. Grant us the will and the wisdom to preserve the beauty around us so we may gratefully pass on the bounty of blessings that Your gift has given us. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the Scottish pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Trinitarian drawings called ‘Blue Trinity.’ If you would like to view a larger version, click here: Trinity.