So God created Man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

(Genesis 1:27-28)

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

(Genesis 2:15)

The creation story is one of the most well-known stories in Christianity. All throughout the account, God creates something and then sees that it is good. But what is really interesting is that it’s not perfect. Oh, it’s innocent, don’t get me wrong. It’s perfect in that sin has not yet cursed it. But God told Adam and Eve to subdue the earth and rule over it. And He put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. When God created the Earth, He did it in such a way that it needed caretakers. Then, He created the caretakers - us. The first great commission God gave mankind was not to go into all the earth making disciples. Rather, it was to tend the garden of His creation.

Some months ago, Reg brought a messaged entitled, ”Caring for What You’ve Been Given,“ in which he challenged us to think about the way we tend God’s garden. As a church, we want to set the example and be worthy stewards of this earth God has created. To that end, much of the lighting throughout the church building has been changed to high-effeciency bulbs, which use up to 70% less energy, yet give more light! We also have made a conscious effort shut off lights and computers when we’re done with them, cut back on the amount of paper we print and copies we make, and soon you will see recycling bins around the church.

I encourage you, as a Christian, to follow our lead. Let’s help clean up and care for God’s creation. Let’s remember the first commission He gave us.