Praying for our Oil-leaking Earth

Like so many of you I have been distressed over the oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico. I have experienced an array of emotions over this disaster including but not limited to dismay, disgust, confusion, frustration, anger, unbelief, sadness, and somberness. Initially, my sadness was for the eleven men who died in the explosion. Yet as time has passed most of my afore-mentioned emotions were directed toward the issue of the leak itself, and our astounding inability to stop it.

Like you I have also heard all of the blame-shifting and political gain-saying. I guess it is to be expected that politicians might use such a disaster as a political opportunity, but that doesn’t prevent my disappointment. Sure this wasteful leak raises valid questions about if, where and when to drill for oil. I understand that and those and other energy-related questions are worth exploring in a solution-centered approach, but I question the justice of criminalizing an accident for the sake of political gain, if that is being done. More so, it disappoints me that some politicians see it more as a political issue, than as profound ruin for many people and much of God’s creation in that area.

Like you I have heard of solutions for the clean-up from farmers, internet bloggers, news reporters, and hopeful citizens. I am for any of them that will work whether it is hay, human hair, or a vacuum cleaner attached to a spaceship. Since I am no expert in this area I can only trust that BP and government officials know about all of these options so I won’t supply you with any links to forward to your congressmen.

Also, like you I have hoped and prayed for every attempt to stop the leak. With my limited knowledge about the technical elements of the leak or of the clean-up or of energy issues I figured this was my best play. So day after day now for weeks on end I have prayed for an end to the devastation caused by this leak. And as those made in the image of God and redeemed by Christ Jesus I think this is our responsibility. Of all the people affected, we should be passionately praying for this because God has made us stewards of this earth.
In Genesis 1:27 we read of God creating humankind. Then in the very next verse (Gen. 1:28) we read, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Some call this humanity’s cultural mandate. It emphasizes human stewardship over all creation. It positions humanity uniquely above all of the other species God created. It gives humans the rest of creation as both resources and a responsibility. A Christian worldview of creation must always balance out these truths. We are not pantheists or naturalists who worship creation as if God is in it. Yet we are not materialists who would see nothing sacred about creation. Rather, we see all of creation as, in some way, reflecting the wonder and glory of our Creator. Thus, when His creation is defaced or ruined we grieve or are indignant. Yet we do not deify creation and chastise humanity for daring to rob “Mother Nature” of her elements. No, these were given to us by the Creator to care for, manage, and use for our needs. This is what “subduing” the earth means. Yet at the same time the steward of creation knows the earth and its creatures are to be resourcefully used, but not abused or wasted.

So unlike others you and I, as Christ-followers made and re-made by the Author of Life, have a delicate balance to strike in our relationship to our Lord’s earth. We cannot advocate the greedy exploitation of the natural resources our Creator deposited into this earth, regardless of the consequences. Nor should we reduce humanity to just another naturally-evolved species who has no right to pollute the earth with a carbon footprint. Rather, as subduing stewards of God’s creation we must balance wise resourcefulness and responsibility. Practically, I think this does mean recycling and taking measures that show good management of the resources of our Lord’s creation. I also think it means continuing to fervently pray for success in stopping that leak in the Gulf as soon as possible. May none outstrip our zeal in such prayers.

Groaning with creation (Rom. 8:22-23),

Pastor Scott