Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Epiphany: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 26 and 28; Evening, Psalms 36 and 39;
Genesis 9:1 to 17; Hebrews 5:7 to14; John 3:16 to 21:
“As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.” (Genesis 9: 9 – 10)
I have learned that some of the other faith traditions also have a flood story. That this Bible story is historically accurate is not so much my concern. But the lesson here is that we (humans) are the caretakers of the earth and all of its diverse creatures, and this is what I believe God wants us to know.
This message of caretaker is one that shows up frequently in the Bible as well as in my blog. While we are not God, we have a lot of power in terms of regulating our habitats and protecting various species of life, both plant and animal.
Our spirituality should go beyond how we relate to each other. It must be seen by God how we relate to this beautiful planet. This goes beyond the negligent damage we cause with pollution and reckless harvesting of resources. Yes we need to clean up our act, but more than that, we need to monitor habitats and the eco-systems around the planet to ensure both people and wildlife are in balance in order to promote a safe and healthy planet.
Here is the truth that goes beyond the flood story: God is establishing a covenant with us and our descendants after us, and with every living creature that is with us, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with us. God wants humanity to be more responsible in caring for this planet.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 