I held the tiny creature in the gentle cup of my hands, surprised that it wasn’t trembling. While I sat working with my door ajar, the sprinklers outside had come on and scared the young field mouse straight into my room. As I’d watched it flit from one corner to another, I think I’d said, “You don’t belong here.” Except, it did.

One of the things I love about God’s Creation is that it’s where everything feels right with the world. Each part of an ecosystem, no matter how big or small that part, contributes to the whole: Everything has a place, and everything is in its place. Why, then, did I tell a field mouse it didn’t belong?

I’m a person who feels comfortable in the wilderness, but I think those words were a symptom of a modern worldview that permeates much of what we do. We’ve become so obsessed with speed, efficiency, and productivity that we’ve lost sight of one of our best direct lifelines to the Lord: his magnificent Creation. When last did you stop to notice and truly appreciate the complicated beauty of the natural world? When last did you make a choice that prioritizes its well-being instead of your own?

The Bible teaches us much about our triune God and Creation, and Creation teaches us much about God. Examining these lessons and understanding what Creation can do for our souls will help us to take better care of it.

What does the Bible say about Creation?

 Let’s look at creation as it relates to God and man:

God and Creation: The Bible tells us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen 1:1–2 ESV). It also describes how Jesus was with God in the beginning and took part in creating the universe. He gave life to Creation and he is the light that no darkness can ever overcome. Jesus “holds all creation together” (Col 1:17 NLT). It’s a wonder that our triune God created the universe from nothing.

Man and Creation: In Genesis, we read that God created man in his own image and gave man dominion over the earth. While “dominion” does mean sovereignty or control, it immediately follows God saying: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen 1:27 ESV). Reading scripture in context is the key here. As Lee Canipe1 puts it, we should exercise “dominion that is in the image, or likeness, of God.” And our God doesn’t rule destructively; he rules with love, grace, and care.

What does Creation teach us about God?

Creation does many things well, but there are three specific ways it points us towards God: It testifies to his glory, it demonstrates God’s careful creativity, and it mirrors the mystery of God.

God’s glory can be seen in the roar of a magnificent waterfall or waves crashing onto a beach, the artistry of the aurora borealis dancing over a snowy landscape, and the powerful beauty of a horse at gallop. God’s creativity can be found in the intricate detail of a flower, the perfection of a tiny bird, and the geometry of a snowflake. And the quiet depths of our indigenous forests—which I’m certain hold many secrets—mirror the mysteries that we’ll never understand on this side of eternity.

Job 12:7–10 (NIV) describes this “testimony” of Creation so well:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

or let the fish in the sea inform you.

Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Creation knows that God is in control and it’s there to teach us about God’s “invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature” (Rom 1:20 NIV).

Creation is good for us

Not only does Creation teach us about God, it’s also a special place to connect with him, and it’s very healthy for us too. It’s a place to process our thoughts—to walk, reflect, and pray. It’s a place to unplug from the technology and busyness of our modern world and truly soothe and recharge our souls. It’s a place to be reminded of and to marvel at God’s glory during times of discouragement. And it’s a place to build physical health through fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

For me, Creation is often the quiet refuge that allows my soul to breathe a sigh of relief. It can also be testing at times, but I celebrate that too.

I’ve sometimes said that I love the Arctic because you could actually die there. That might sound strange, so let me explain: While industry and innovation aren’t necessarily inherently bad, we have gotten to a point where we control everything about our environment, from the timer settings of the coffee machine to the exact air temperatures in our cars and homes. In contrast, the Arctic is harsh: its climate is extreme, there is limited infrastructure, and polar bears roam freely. Being reminded that we’re fragile human beings and that God and his Creation are way bigger than we are—being reminded that we aren’t in control—is really, really good for us.

Are we taking care of it?

Considering how important Creation is to God and to our connection with and understanding of him, and thinking about how his intention was for us to rule with love, grace, and care, we need to ask ourselves whether we’re taking care of it as we should.

I don’t know about you, but I often feel like Creation is in trouble everywhere I look these days. There are many wonderful initiatives all over the world, but I sometimes wonder if our day-to-day mindsets match them (and I include myself in that). For example:

  • Many are fighting hard to protect nesting sites and save the African penguin from extinction, but our southern African waters are still being exploited and overfished.
  • Greener fuels, great, but do we really need to even burn fuel in the first place to travel the 1.5 km to the grocery store? Could we not walk or cycle?
  • Is it necessary to clear ever-larger areas of Creation in order to construct the equivalent of modern-day fortresses? Could we not live a little … smaller, more simply, and with more care?

We need to remember that with the authority to rule comes the responsibility to rule well, and that includes caring for and using Creation in a just and godly manner. Let’s be more mindful of our choices; let’s do better to rule with the grace that God extends and the love that Jesus so clearly demonstrated (rule “in our image”); and let’s not lose the places we can meet with and experience our Creator so tangibly on this side of eternity.

References

  1. Canipe, Lee. 2010. “Rethinking ‘Dominion’ in Genesis 1:27–28.” Christian Ethics Today. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://christianethicstoday.com/wp/rethinking-dominion-in-genesis-127-28/