Friday, October 16

Today’s Readings: Job 37:1-24; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c

As I look at the challenges global climate change is presenting us with these days, I can’t help but see irony in the way we are approaching the situation. Human beings – driven by our desire to consume natural resources and control nature – have created most of the problems that we are now facing. Yet we are told that the only hope the planet has is if human beings - the ones who screwed things up in the first place, mind you - take action and prevent the destruction of the planet.

Now don’t get me wrong. I do believe there are many ways in which human beings can apply their minds to slow (and perhaps in some cases reverse) the patterns of destruction. I get nervous when we forget to factor in some of the restorative aspects of nature – the ways in which the planet can organically right some of the wrongs we have inflicted upon it.

It is that very restorative dimension of nature that I think of when I read the psalmist’s words in today’s psalm: “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side…” (Psalm 104:24 from The Message).

This makes me think of all the ways each of us makes the same mistake in our personal lives. We see a problem before us, and try to correct it on our own – as if we alone were in complete control of things.

Today, I would encourage you to resist the temptation to succumb to the notion that you alone can fix all the problems before you. Instead, take time to seek out God’s Wisdom that is embedded in the world around you. Til next time…