What's a pastor to preach after Easter? With Earth Day approaching, the answer seemed obvious – celebrate God's gift of creation during this feasting season. But any honest environmental sermon must confront an uncomfortable truth: we haven't been the best caretakers of God's garden.
Genesis establishes humanity's purpose with startling clarity – God placed us in the garden "to till it and to keep it." We are stewards, not owners, of this remarkable planet. As Psalm 24 reminds us, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it." We're merely temporary tenants with responsibilities to the divine landlord and future generations. Yet our environmental report card reveals serious failings: accelerating climate change, massive food waste, plastic pollution, deforestation, water insecurity, and more. Even our technological solutions come with new environmental costs.
A visit to fire-ravaged Palisades reveals both devastation and renewal. What if we approached creation with greater humility, working with natural cycles rather than constantly fighting against them? Romans suggests that creation itself "waits with eager longing" for transformation – perhaps the natural world seeks renewal just as we humans do. The landscape recovering from the Woolsey fire illustrates this divine remodeling already underway.
Despite environmental challenges, hope persists. Climate awareness grows steadily, with economic benefits of sustainable practices becoming increasingly apparent. The US climate movement strengthens, particularly in population and economic centers. Most importantly, creation demonstrates remarkable resilience when given the chance – a testament to divine wisdom embedded in natural systems.
This Easter season invites us to feast on God's natural world – to hike trails, swim oceans, and marvel at creation's wonders. When we step into nature, we leave humbled, inspired, and drawn into right relationship with the world around us. Our environmental situation remains serious, but so does our capacity for hope and renewal – a fittingly Easter message for Earth Day.
