Time to get a job!

Actually, you already have one.  In fact, it’s the first job that was ever given.  You might even say it’s the oldest job.  No.  Not the “oldest profession”.  This job is actually even older that that one.

Which brings us to the second of 4 scriptures that help us form our understanding of God’s plan for our relationship with creation. 

“God blessed them saying, ‘Be fertile and mulitply; fill the earth and subdue it.  Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.'” (Genesis 1:28-29) 

You see, God gave Man his first job-to care for the earth and all it’s creatures.  True, this job won’t help you out of your financial problems.  (At least not in the short term.)  But, believe me, you will be rewarded.

God called Adam to be in dominion over creation.  He entrusted it to Adam to be cared for and nurtured.  Dominion can be difficult for us to understand from our human perspective but it’s not impossible.  If you are a fan of C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia, you may have read examples of God’s idea of dominion.  In these books Aslan, the benevolent lion, teaches four children how to be in dominion over the kingdom of Narnia.  They are taught to be brave, loyal and have faith.  They are taught to look after all of their subjects, fill their needs, and treat all of them with respect from the largest centaur to the smallest mouse.

It’s this idea of dominion that God’s calls us to strive for when caring for the environment.  God did not intend for us to ravage creation for our needs and cast aside the remains.  Nor did He want us to wrap creation in bubble wrap and put it in a museum to be looked at but not touched.  No, God wants us to use and interact with His creation.  He wants us to revel in it’s wonder and beauty while utilizing it for our needs.

This is your job too.  As children of God and descendents of Adam, it’s up to each of us to accept this job and get to work.  Don’t worry if you feel unqualified.  On the job training is provided and your boss is really forgiving if you mess up!

Blessings for the New Year!

Next post:  Two-by-two

Laura