All Creation Waits

As you may have seen from my writings, I love being outside. Given the opportunity, I would be outdoors than stuck inside. I enjoy reading books and articles about people's adventures outside, one of my favorite authors being Lawrence Millman. Most of his writings are about the Arctic regions. However, like other writers of the outdoors, such as Edward Abbey, Millman often writes poorly of Christianity and of God. It is often written that Christian missionaries have destroyed native cultures and that God has nothing to do with nature. It would be hard to defend the actions of some missionaries. The culture of the Native Americans was destroyed by the government and missionaries in an effort to "civilize" the people. An atrocity which we can never correct has been committed by our country and the affects are still felt today. However, I would argue the complete opposite about God's role in nature. The following are excerts from Abbey's Desert Solitaire.

"An increasingly pagan and hedonistic people (thank God!), we are learning finally that the forests and mountains and desert canyons are holier than our churches. Therefore let us behave accordingly" (p. 60).

"'Ralph Newcomb', I say, 'do you believe in God?'
'Who?' he says.
'Who?'
'Who.'
'You said it,' I say" (p. 180).

"'Newcomb, for godsake where do we come from?'
'Who knows?'
'Where are we going?'
'Who cares?'
'Who?'
'Who'" (p. 185).

My love of nature comes because of my knowledge that it is God's creation. When I am in nature, I see the work of God and praise him. Being in nature makes me want to thank God even more than I already do. When we look in the Bible, we find that this is exactly what should happen. Paul writes in Romans 10 that the songs of praise that nature sings to God proclaims to us that God is real. He quotes Psalm 19, which reads

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

Paul, in Romans 10, writes that the people have heard of God because he is shown to us by creation. There are of course many other ways we see God, but one way is by creation's praise. In another Psalm, # 148, we see that all of creation sings praises to God, in the same way that we do.

1 Praise the Lord. 2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. 6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, 9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, 11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and maidens, old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. 14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart.

God gave us creation. In Genesis 1 He gives dominion to man of all creation. But that comes with a great responsibility. God's gift to us does not mean that it is our job to pave the world and turn all usable space into cities and strip malls. Jesus tells us that God cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. They do not live on asphalt! Wilderness is important to us. It shows us God. It returns us to what is important in life. It is no coincidence that Jesus tells us to look to wilderness to see what is important in life. That worrying about tomorrow is not necessary. Even Christ retreats to the wilderness to spend time with the Father.

If you have not experienced God's creation, go out and see it. Go to a national park and spend the night under the stars. Go to a local park and enjoy the birds and the animals. Conserve our natural resources so that the birds of the air can eat and the lilies of the field will be beautiful. Creation is singing of the glories of God. Join them!