Earth Day Faith

"If everybody is thinking the same thing, then somebody isn't thinking."

                                                                        ~ General George S. Patton

Mother Nature

This past week, throughout the country and internationally, as with every 22nd of April, the secular holiday 'Earth Day' was celebrated.
In my younger years, I thought it was a harmless day to do some type of environmental service in the outdoors; but as I grow older, I am realizing Earth Day is much more to those who glorify Mother Nature.

If you don't know anything about Earth Day, it began in 1970 and was celebrated then and every year afterward on April 22nd. 

The date chosen is Vladimir Lenin's birthday and was later declared a 'service' day for the

Vladimir Lenin

Russian motherland by Premier Nikita Khrushchev in the Soviet Union. Due to this fact and other pleas by early environmentalists, their movement was seen as subversive and as a 'socialist trick' to confound good, America-loving patriots.

In short, many were deemed Communist sympathizers; it didn't help that many of their leaders actually were communist sympathizers.

But I digress.

The date was chosen because it didn't interfere with any religious holidays like Passover or Easter, it would not interfere with college exams or Spring break (you must remember that during that time activism was high on college campuses) and it was the birthday of conservationist John Muir. 

Earth Day is complete with rituals and anthems which glorify 'Mother Nature;' many of which are set of older Christian hymns, such as Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy.'

Worshiping God's Creation is nothing new; yet, the believer must know to separate the creation from its Creator; they are not one and the same.
And to say all created things carry an image of God within them devalues the image of God itself; to say an earthworm is just as much image bearer of God as a human child, lessens the value of the human child to that of an earthworm.

The Christian should rightly honor the creation as the handiwork of the Creator; while taking serious the stewardship of which humanity is charged with and given by God Himself concerning His universe.
Many times we have failed; but we must never fail to see how the Creation points to a grand Creator of grace and mercy.

A few years ago, I was blessed enough to minister among the men and women of the 52nd Fighter Wing (Go Sabers) in our allied nation of Germany. 
While there, a friend and I visited a place called Trier, which is the western-most, ancient Roman city in Germany.

In one of its heights, Trier was the location of Emperor Constantine's western seat; today, you can visit the Palace of Trier, ancient Roman baths and even Constantine's Basilica (which is now a evangelical church).

During World War II, Constantine's Basilica was shattered by Allied bombs and reduced to pieces of brick and mortar. 
But that brick was able to be traced to its original source, placed back together and relics were found; the upper parts and roof were later rebuilt.

Like the men and women who rebuilt Constantine's Basilica after the war, Christians sift through this world, through Creation, tracing the 'bricks' of the world back to their original source, knowing that they are not the source in and of themselves.

By their very nature, they point to One who is greater, more powerful and governs all things; nature and the earth itself, point consistently and constantly to God Himself.
Nature is a pointer, a token and guide given to us out of God's grace and love, guiding us to the source of all things - which is God Himself.
As such, He alone is to be worshiped.

God places order in the world; it is true if the earth was one degree closer to the sun we would fry; one degree further away and we would freeze.
You see, as He orders the universe, the silent voice of Creation cannot be squelched from declaring the glory of God.

Creation is grand, but it is also violent at times - when we fell, we took God's perfect work with us and marred it as well.


There are fires, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters; but there is also the majesty of a sunrise, the beauty of stars on the velvet backdrop of the night sky, and the symphony of Spring's voices as they are reborn for another season. 

In the animal kingdom, mallard ducks will gang-rape a weaker, non-mallard and then drown it; chipmunks will eat their own as will male lions in a pride; while dolphins will aid the injured and care for their own.

Each of these things occur in nature and the natural world, except for humans, will view these things as normal occurrences. 
This is how things work in the natural world since the fall of man and sin entering the world through our first parents thousands of years ago.
Humans, however, we react with shock as if we can never get use to the fact that we caused the violence and destruction that now exists in Creation.

In one sense, we are spiritual beings with a material body; in another sense, we are material beings within the created order with a soul or spirit. 
Yet, God deals with us both spiritually and materially within the world; and thankfully, God deals with us on our level.
Everything we know about the supernatural world is fulfilled through ordinary or natural means; and while this is to point our hearts to our Creator rather than the creation, sometimes it becomes much easier for skeptics to deny God or disbelieve. 

Hence, the glorification of Earth Day instead of glorifying God as the author of Creation.


In truth, I have a lot of compassion and sympathy for those men and women who want to believe in God, but cannot because they desire unshakable proof of His existence or work.

Here's a remarkable truth many Christians will never admit to:
THERE IS NO UNSHAKABLE, IRONCLAD PROOF

Since I was a small child, I have heard arguments by Christians for God and then heard non-believers argue against the existence of God.
All that has happened is that the venom spewed turned off more people and drove them away from a compassionate, merciful Lord.

For belief, the mystery and majesty of faith must be an element; yet, God does not and will not compel belief in Himself or anything else.
If so, Pontius Pilate would have believed and the course of history would have vastly different. Instead of appearing to Peter, Jesus may have appeared to Caiaphas and forced his conversion. 

Friend, there is no absolute proof when it comes to faith; except the reality of grace which can be experienced but never taught.
The highest reality can be experienced through the lowliest things; but the eyes of faith and not the eyes of the world are able to see them. We must pay attention and learn the difference between the two.

And if you really want to make a difference and be a good steward with the environment, every Christian should stop thinking about Mother Nature and begin with thanksgiving and praise to Father God.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.