A Wonderful World

I see trees of green….red roses too. There are skies of blue and clouds of white. Bright blessed days and dark sacred nights. The colors of the rainbow…so pretty…in the sky and the faces of people passing by, shaking hands are saying I love you. These words express how one song writer and singer’s view of the world that we know and love.  This world is wonderful, but it is also a fragile sphere of interdependent life forms that create beauty for our senses and gives us the quality of life that we would want. 

Fifty years ago, before global warming and concerns about the melting ice-caps, Rachel Carson wrote her bestseller and classic reading today, Silent Spring. In much detail she writes about the dangers of chemicals on the environment and the impact our humanity has had and continues to have on the world that God so proudly and carefully knit together for our joy and appreciation and for God’s joy and appreciation also. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4

What are human beings that you are mindful? Louis Armstrong in his gravelly identifiable voice sings about a beautiful world and his joy in living in God’s bountiful creation.  Rachel Carson writes about a beautiful world and the importance of being careful and responsible with this fragile, magnificent world that is lovingly imagined and created by God. The psalmist marvels in its beauty and we think to ourselves, what a wonderful world.  

 In his letter to the Corinthians Paul writes, “All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23.  These are thoughtful, cautionary words that remind all of us of the importance of caring for and being good stewards of God’s amazing world. May the choices we make today build up God’s wonderful world so that generations to come can look to the heavens and say as we have said what a wonderful world.

 

Prayer:

           God you created each detail of the earth with love and greatness. Help us to live our lives with thoughtful prayer as we embrace the wonder and joy of this awesome world. This is a gift that you’ve entrusted to our care, O God. Help us to be good stewards of the earth so that many more generations may enjoy the mystery and awe of your wonderful earth.   Amen.