WEEK 2
DAY 14- KINGDOM THROUGH CARE OF THE EARTH
Scripture- Romans 8:19-23
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
This is what I think of when I read Romans 8:19-23. Anticipation and longing form a palpable tension between what is and what we hope will come to be: the coming of the God’s Kingdom.
Strikingly, Paul intertwines creation’s anticipation with the fate of humanity. Creation awaits libera- tion “from its bondage to decay” while humanity awaits adoption and redemption. In fact, creation’s liberation is dependent on humanity’s redemption; it waits in expectation “for the children of God to be revealed” in order that it might be “brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” Kingdom-living brings life to the whole word.
Paul reminds us that when people sin, creation suffers. In Genesis 1, creation was subjected to hu- manity, who was tasked to rule over and care for it. When humanity promptly rebelled against God and this task, creation began its suffering, waiting for the redemption of those who would reflect God and His rule.
In our redemption, we become what we were created to be: participants in the Kingdom of God who rule over and care for creation. To participate through care of the earth, we must commit to orienting our lives toward God’s creation in the ways that He designed us to do—to rule as He rules and to care as He cares so that we help bring about the flourishing of all life.
REFLECTION PRAYER
Lord of Creation,
We thank You first and foremost for the gift of life that comes through Jesus Christ. As we reflect on this passage, we repent of the ways that we fail to be Your image bearers, not least in how we choose to live in the world. Forgive us for failing to love our neighbor and Your creation. May Your Holy Spirit convict and guide us into new habits of living. Give us the strength to be obedient to Your Kingdom rule. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we pray, amen.
By Chris Vena