Kathy and I have decided to add something new to our Bible reading plans. We do those separately as we are using different plans and translations. I found a “Reading Through The Church Fathers” in a year plan.
That plan takes us through a curated introduction to the early church fathers over the course of the year. It’s made available by C. Michael Patton at Credo House Ministries. The texts for the day are provided along with a narrated version of the text. We watch and listen together, stopping to discuss.
As Protestants, we often pay little heed to the church fathers. That is to our detriment. Like any commentator or preacher, the “fathers” can be in error in places but provide a wealth of insight into the faith and the Scriptures.
Most of these fathers lived before the Roman Catholic/Protestant separation, the Orthodox schism, and other divisions. They are a part of our shared Christian history and are enriching to read.
With that unsolicited plug set aside, let’s move into today’s Gleanings.
I recently read the Psalms, and the latter part of Psalm 65 particularly struck me.
You visit the earth and water it;
you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide their grain,
for so you have prepared it.You water its furrows abundantly,
settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
and blessing its growth.You crown the year with your bounty;
your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy.
God, the creator of all things, lavishes great attention on His Creation. He cares for it and tends to it. He is not an absentee landlord who allows things to happen to His creation.
God appointed his children to be the stewards of this little planet we call home.
God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 ESV
That verse has often been used to justify the wanton, wholesale rape of our home, its resources, and the exploitation of people. Yet, when we compare it to the Psalmist’s description of God’s tender care, we see how wrong such a view is.
We are called to be faithful stewards of all God has provided. Yes, the land, the sea, and the sky are provided for us to use. We do not have the right to abuse them, however. The abuses we pour out on God’s creation not only have the potential for harm to the generations to come but are an affront to God.
I am not advocating that we all become tree-huggers. While the environmental movement has many valuable elements, it also contains much pseudoscience and earth worship. I am advocating that we take a little more care of the earthly home God has provided us.
Perhaps the little bit one person does won’t make a difference, but if each of the 7 billion people on this little blue ball, third from the sun, does a bit, the effect will be tremendous.
Until next time, may you be a good steward of all God has given you.
Kevin
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