A Message of Angry Skies – Devotion 299

March is always one of those months we expect to see some stormy weather. It is as if Spring is trying to be birthed from Winter and it doesn’t always flow so well. This morning, as God began to turn on the lights on my part of the world, I noticed the sky. Sure, it is still really windy and stormy. But the sky looked so angry. It seemed to speak of its displeasure with all that was going on. It moved and shifted as if it had a message to speak.

We can certainly take this as a part of the progression of this season. Or we could see a sign, a message of sorts. Over the years of reading and studying the Bible, it has become really evident to me that God has an expectation of us we often overlook. I don’t remember hearing much about it growing up, if at all. I don’t remember this ever being a focus in the church. But God has given us a directive to care for his good creation. We are taught in Genesis that God created and it was good. He continued to create good things, including you and me. And when he created humanity, he gave us the responsibility for loving and caring for all he had created. It is our job – our high calling, so to speak. Yet, it seems to be the most overlooked.

We treat God’s creation as if it is expendable. We don’t worry about what we are doing because we will die and it will be someone else’s responsibility. We want what we want when we want it, regardless of the price there is to pay. We don’t want to sacrifice or do anything which may inconvenience us. We simply ignore all the signs, ignore God’s directive, and ignore anything which gets in our way. Yet, if we believe God created, how can we not be concerned for all he created? If we truly believe God provided, how can we be so irresponsible with the things which he has provided? It seems to be poor stewardship. It seems to go against our calling. It is wrong.

The good news is – it is never too late. As long as God continues to create, we have the opportunity to care for his creation. Take note of the things you do in a day. Think about the ways you impact – for good or bad – this good creation. Consider changes we can all begin to make to follow God’s directive and care for his goodness. May it begin with me.

Focus Scripture:

Genesis 1:28-31

²⁸God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” ²⁹God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.