“God not only preserves the world, but also continually attends to it, ruling and sustaining it with wise and benevolent care. God is concerned for every creature: ‘The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.’” -Psalm 145:15–16
This past Saturday, Crossroads hosted an E-Recycling event where three truckloads of electronics were collected and will be responsibly recycled and kept out of landfills. Thank you to everyone who volunteered and/or donated items to be recycled! It was a tangible expression of what it looks like to live as stewards of God’s creation.
Earth Day (April 22nd) invites us as people of faith to remember that the world is not ours to possess, but a gift entrusted to our care. From the beginning of creation, humanity has been given a sacred calling to care for the earth and all living things within it. In Genesis, we hear that humankind is created in God’s image and entrusted with responsibility within creation (Genesis 1:26–28), a calling not of careless domination, but of attentive stewardship—reflecting God’s own care for what has been made.
We don’t have to look far to see both the beauty and the fragility of creation. Just this past week, many of us experienced severe storms—tornadoes, flooding rains, powerful thunder and lightning. These events remind us of the immense power of the natural world, but also of its increasing unpredictability. We are also hearing that this summer’s El Niño pattern may bring heavier rains to the southern United States and drier conditions here in the Midwest. These shifts are not isolated; they are part of broader patterns that point to the effects of climate change and humanity’s impact on the planet.
In the face of this, our call as people of faith becomes even more urgent. To be stewards is to recognize that what we have is not ultimately ours, but God’s. It is to respond with gratitude and care—for the land, for the waters, and for all living things. Scripture reminds us, “God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). To care for creation is to honor that goodness and to participate in God’s ongoing work of sustaining life.
This Earth Day, may we renew our commitment—not only in moments like our recycling event, but in our daily choices and shared life together. May we be people who notice, who give thanks, and who act with intention. And may our care for creation bear witness to the Creator’s enduring love for all that has been made.
Peace,
Pastor Beth
