Day 3 There's no such thing as a coincidence in nature

First of all, I'm still going to do 30 days worth of blog, just terribly behind. But I'm committed to this. So here we go again.

A few days ago, it was Easter. The celebration of when the King of Kings rose from his grave and the stone was rolled away. When I think of Easter, one of the first things that comes to my mind is the dogwood tree in my backyard. It always blooms around Easter. A few years ago, I read the legend of the dogwood tree.

Apparently,back at the time of the Crucifiction, dogwood trees were as large and strong as oaks. And used in the making of crosses. One legend has it that after the death of Christ, all the dogwood trees withered and regrew as twisted bushes full of flowering blooms that resembled the cross. Another has the tree made into Jesus cross and regretting it's role in His death. Sensing this, Jesus blessed the tree saying, 'Never again will dogwoods grow large enough to be used in the making of crosses. And every year a flower shall bloom to remind people of my suffering.'

Now this is merely a legend, a story. Tree don't talk or feel. But the fact that so many trees and flowers remind us humans of the Christ, I think there may have been a little intelligent design going on there. After all these plants existed before Jesus walked the earth. Maybe God decided that nature itself would predict His future plan for redemption of creation. In the five pointed poinsetta shaped like Bethelehem's star that led to Christ, but that turns blood red like the blood he shed. The stargazer lily we also give at Easter. Also shaped like the star of Bethlehem. And the dogwood tree that blooms around Easter. Whose four white or pink petals are shaped like the cross, tipped with a blood red and a crown in the center. It's just a theory, but I have a pretty good feeling we're going to see dogwood trees in heaven.

Day 2 Eve's Selfishness

"Now the serpant was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did god say,'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the trees in the garden; but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die." But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of it's fruit and ate; amd she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate." Genesis 3:v1-6 NRSV

Last year, I started this blog explaining that the whole mess the Earth has found itself in began with Eve's selfishness. That's not entirely true. It began with Satan. I'm not sure of the original Hebrew translation, but it's clear that when we speak of the serpant, we speak of Satan. After all, despite what Ripley's claims, believe it or not, God didn't create animals to speak to humans. Few things strike me as interesting about Satan's approach. First he appeared to Eve as part of God's creation. Which if you think about Satan's origins, is 100 percent truth. God did create Satan. Satan use to be called Lucifer. Look at Isaiah 14 v12-17. These verses might be talking about the king of Babylon at the time, but the wonderful thing about the bible is that it can talk about 2 different events in the same breath. But more of that later.

'How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star (other versions tranlate this as Lucifer) Son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon, I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."

First, Satan appeared as just one creation conversing with another. Back then, serpants weren't feared by man. Eve didn't see Satan as a threat. Little did she know how dangerous the serpant was. He asked Eve a question. He got Eve to question God's Word. She corrected him, sort of. Satan got her to add to God's Word. A problem man still does today. In Genesis 2:v15-17, God never said they couldn't touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they just couldn't eat of it. Seeing a way in, Satan went in for the kill and flat out lied. He lied by telling Eve God lied. That God was keeping something wonderful from Adam and Eve. He got Eve to desire power, to ascend her own throne above the stars. He had failed to become like God, so he made sure God's other creation, mankind would fail to do the same.

The fall of God's creation came when creation tried to become like the Creator. It's an impossible task. Except throught Jesus Christ.

'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:v1-2 NRSV

Lucifer the archangel was selfish and wanted to become like God. He became Satan and is going to spend enternity suffering in hell. He got Eve to be selfish and want to become like God, hoping all creation would suffer. And creation has suffered. War, illness, poverty, pollution, and greed run rampant. But the jokes on Satan. God sent Jesus to restore creation. His entire creation. Except Satan. He used creation (the serpant, a tree and fruit) to try to destroy God's plans. I wouldn't be surprised if God and Jesus used creation to destroy Satan's plans.

Day 1 Don't Judge a Book by it's Color

Picture a young woman. A college graduate. Majored in fashion. Self proclaimed Southern Belle. A Christian who has always been concerned about the environment. She begins to wonder about how or even if protecting the environment is even biblical. So she beings a journey. She scours the Internet...always a reliable source...She searches the bookstores. Nothing concrete. She does acquire a New Revised Standard Edition of the Holy Bible made from recycled materials and soy based ink that's filled with articles explained other authors journey to 'go green' in the front but more importantly the word of God she's known for years filling the rest. The only difference was the scared text highlighted verses that pointed out God's concern for His creation.

So she studies the Word on her own. She even starts a blog to share her findings. Still she wishes she could find more concrete and biblical based writings on this subject called 'creation care'. Then one day, she wanders into a Lifeway bookstore and finds what she's been looking for. A book on environmental stewardship! Called 'Serve God, Save the Planet' by Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth, it walks the christian through the author's (a medical doctor, not a PH.d) personal spiritual walk with God as he discovers that living a life that focuses on treating the planet with respect is more of thinking of God's big picture and realizing that every little thing we do to creation affects fellow human beings. She begins to read it, excited that there is another Christian in the world who thinks like she does. She puts it in her purse and reads a chapter or two whenever she can .

One Sunday, she reads it before Sunday school, when her good friend who is earning his doctorate at seminary notices the cover. He asks to see it, then concern crosses his face. He points out that the 'rave review' on the front cover is by an author/activist named Brian McLaren who does not have a reputation of being a man after God's own heart. The young woman is crushed. But she continues to read anyway and finds out that Dr. Sleeth's book and experience is not only based on the Word of God, almost every word makes sense.

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm that young Christian woman. And I think that the reason Dr. Sleeth's book had to have a less than reputable 'Christian' author give a quote on the front was because the call to environmental stewardship is not one Christians today are eager to answer. There are dozens of excuses, reasonable cause for concern, and misconceptions. If there weren't, Dr. Sleeth's book would not be the only book on creation care I found in Lifeway. The journey I'm about to share with you these next 30 days, is what I've discovered about how creation care is giving glory to God, witnessing to the lost, and becoming closer to God while discovering that environmental stewardship is a part of rediscovering the lost purpose God had designed us for. Caring for His Earth.

So don't judge a book by it's cover Brothers and Sisters...especially if that cover is green.