Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

 Holy Trinity - Environment Sunday.

 Romans 8:18-27

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”. Vs 27, “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God”. vs 18

 In Genesis 1:1-2, we see that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”. So the presence of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the 2nd verse of the first chapter of the Bible. In Genesis 1:16, we read that, “then God said, let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” “In our image” here refers to the unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, though God is three persons in one. It shows the “Trinitarian” nature of God. Our Baptism is carried out “in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit”. In Genesis 2:15, we see that, “the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”. In Romans 5:12 we read that, “just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned“. Adam’s sin marred the image of God in humanity and it corrupted and polluted the entire creation. In Genesis 3:17, God told Adam, “Cursed is the ground because of you”. So, we live in a World that has been cursed and the only one who can remove the curse is God himself. God entrusted the Garden of Eden to Adam to “work it and take care of it”, not to exploit or manipulate it. In Psalms 24:1, we read that, “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it”. It implies that we are only stewards and not owners. David T Williams, in his article, “Trinitarian Ecology” wrote that, Christians might relate to the natural environment, “in a way parallel to the relationships with in the Trinity”. St. Francis of Assisi is considered as the “Patron Saint of the Environment and Animals”, because he viewed all creation as “a free gift from God, given equally to all”. Pope Francis said, “Human-induced climate change is a scientific reality, and its decisive mitigation is a moral and religious imperative for humanity. In this core moral space, the world’s religions play a vital role”. Pope Francis also said, “We must not be indifferent or resigned to the loss of biodiversity and the destruction of ecosystems, often caused by our irresponsible and selfish behavior. Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence. We have no such right”. Numbers 35:33 says, “Do not pollute the land where you are”. 
We suffer as a result of our sins. In Romans 8:18 we read that our present suffering is not worth comparing with the glory that awaits us. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”, 2 Cor. 4:17. Here, Apostle Paul is more concerned about the problems the human beings cause themselves than about the damages caused by the natural calamities. It is because of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for all our sins, that we got the assurance of eternal glory. So our present suffering is temporary. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time”, Romans 8:22. In Mathew 19:28, Jesus mentioned the “renewal of all things”. God searches and knows our hearts. The Holy Spirit understands our groaning and intercedes for us. In John 14: 16, Jesus promised that “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever”. It is very comforting to know that Jesus intercedes for us in heaven and that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts. Apostle Paul suffered a lot as a prisoner, and was beaten; and in 2 Cor. 12: 7, he talked about the “thorn in his flesh”. Yet he “rejoiced in the Lord always”. 
World Environment Day is celebrated to promote environmental awareness, in order to take the necessary steps to protect the environment. It is observed yearly on the 5th of June. Celebrating the “Environment Day” is an acknowledgment of what nature provides us. It also serves as a reminder as to how pollution, climate change, etc. are caused by human activities. 
 

Prayer

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”, 2 Cor. 13:14.

Thought of the day

“Among all things called one, the Unity of the Divine Trinity holds the first place”.
 

Alex Thomas, 
Jackson, Tennessee