Today, April 22nd, is Earth Day. The writing for today, "EARTH DAY AND STEWARDSHIP", is about our stewardship of what God has given us, including this earth on which we live. It is so much more than just protecting the environment by reducing toxic emissions, recycling, and so forth. There are many Bible verses referenced which you can look up for further study if desired, some of which are illustrated at the end.
May we be good stewards this week and every day of our lives!
Blessings,
Jan and Corinne
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Today's Devotional:
"EARTH DAY AND STEWARDSHIP"
by
Jan Andersen
Earth Day is April 22nd, a day set apart to bring attention to protecting the environment. It includes the air, water and land of this world in which we live. It was started in the United States in 1970, but now stretches around the world. There have been clashes between groups of people as to how much we actually contribute to the earth’s environmental problems, and how far we can or should go to protect the things of this earth at the expense of humans.
Regardless of how much mankind contributes to pollution of the environment, we should all be concerned about preserving it as best we can, being good stewards. Just like when we cannot fix all the problems of the world, we still try to help in our little corner of it. God certainly has a few things to say about earthly stewardship, and He is the one to whom we should listen.
First of all, the earth belongs to God (see Deut. 10:14 and 1 Cor. 10: 26). He created it (Gen. 1:1), and He put mankind in charge of all the creatures in it (Gen. 1:26). In order to take care of those animals, birds and fish, we humans should be concerned about what supports the creatures - what they breath, drink, and live in and the things they eat which are also supported by the air, water and land. God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it as well (Gen. 2:15).
The Bible goes on in many places to tell us that we should be good stewards of everything God has given us - the earth and all that is in it, the food he supplies for us from this earth (Acts 6:1-6), the money he has blessed us with the ability to earn (Malachi 3:10), the spiritual gifts we have been given (1 Tim 4:14-15 and 1 Peter 4:10-11) - and these are but a few examples. In fact God has given us everything! So we should be good stewards of all that we have. We should also do the same with our faith in the Good News that God has entrusted to us - by sharing it with others - so that both our faith and theirs might also grow (1 Thess. 2:4, and 1 Tim. 1:11).
There is even a commandment about stewardship: “Thou shalt not steal.” If everything belongs to God, including the earth and all that is in it, and we are to be good stewards of all of it, then NOT being a good steward would be like stealing from God what was his all along!
When we faithfully practice good stewardship of God’s gifts, he blesses us with more. But the reason we try to be good stewards is because we are so thankful for his gifts, especially that of eternal life. What happens in the end, after all this “good stewardship” of the earth and everything else we have? No matter how well we take care of our bodies and our environment, it will all pass away in the end. However, and most importantly, when we remain faithful until the end, we will receive eternal life in heaven with God!
Isaiah 51:6 (NIV) Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.
Dear Father God, creator of the heavens and earth, we thank you for creating this world in which we live and all of the gifts you so graciously give us. We especially thank you for your free gift of salvation in Christ, Jesus. Help us to be good stewards of all you have given us, to share it with others, and to remain faithful throughout our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Deuteronomy 10:14 (NIV) To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
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Genesis 1:1 (NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
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Genesis 1:26 (NIV) Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
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Prayers are lifted up daily for
you by the Devotional Writers
and the Monthly Writing Staff
of Women's Focus Ministries.
Blog Writers:
Jan Andersen, Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,
Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward, Karen Bennett,
Collette Phillips, Cathy Friberg, and Corinne Mustafa
Occasional Contributors:
Kathy Bireley, Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,
Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns
Glenna Williamson, Shelly Keith, Amie Spruiell,
Lisabeth Lipp, and Nandita Bhatnagar
A very timely and well-written article. Thank you!!!
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