Our Father’s world

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. — Psalm 24:1                                     

When Amanda Benavides was a sophomore at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, she began to rethink her views on Christian stewardship of the earth. Amanda had grown up thinking that being conscious of the environment had nothing to do with her relationship with Jesus. All this changed when she was challenged to consider the Christian’s role in caring for the planet — especially how that relates to reaching the most needy in the world.

Our stewardship of the beautiful world God gave us, and our care for the people in it, express our reverence for God and is grounded in two biblical principles.

First, the earth belongs to God (Ps. 24:1-2). The psalmist praised the Lord for His creation and His ownership of it. The heavens, the earth, and all that are in it are His. He created it, He is sovereign over it (93:1-2), and He cares for it (Matt. 6:26-30). Second, God delegated the responsibility for the well-being of His earth to us (Gen. 1:26-28). This includes appreciation of and care for both nature (Lev. 25:2-5,11; Prov. 12:10) and people (Rom. 15:2).

This is our Father’s world. Let’s show Him how much we love Him by respecting it and caring for the people who populate it. — Marvin Williams              

The natural world that God has made

Must not be used at whim;

We serve as stewards of His earth,

Responsible to Him.  — D. DeHaan

READ: Genesis 1:26-28

To mistreat God’s creation is to offend the Creator.