April 22 is Earth Day, a time when Christians are encouraged to express their thanks for God’s glorious creation and reaffirm their commitment to holistic creation care. Here is a simple devotional exercise to help you cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving and faithfulness on Earth Day or whatever day you they choose to celebrate.
Find a quiet and comfortable place for reading and mediation. Weather permitting, we encourage you to go outside or sit by a window where you can be close to nature.
Scripture: Psalms 104: 10-25
He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.
How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
Reflection
Take a deep breath. Look around you and ponder the majesty of creation. What plants or animals do you see? What sounds do you hear? Consider how everything is interconnected and how God has so beautifully sewn the earth together in such a way that each part sustains the others, just as we as the Body of Christ are called to sustain one another. Think about your own place in creation. How does it sustain you? How are you part that interconnectedness? What can you do—as part of the tapestry of creation—to better protect it and honor its Creator?
Prayer
Gracious and loving God. Your voice rose out of the darkness and brought for light. In your glory, you created the heavens and the earth and filled it with life. You brought forth trees, flowers, fruits, and vegetation from the ground and shaped every creature that draws breath. You made us in your own image and gave us the ability to understand and contemplate the miracle of your creation. Help us Creator to be good caretakers of this wonderful planet. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Philip J. Brooks is a writer and content developer at United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email.