Living in a Toxic World

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Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. I John 4:20

Would you pay 2,664 Australian dollars (USD 1,874) for two McDonald’s egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant? You would if you forgot to declare them in Australia. According to a USA Today report, an unnamed person traveling from Indonesia to Australia failed to disclose them upon entering Darwin Airport and was fined for “failing to declare potential high biosecurity risk items.”

Toxic is defined as “containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation, extremely harsh, malicious” according to Merriam-Webster. Toxic foods or waste products are bad enough, but it is even worse when it refers to people. Living in a toxic world creates stress, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness.

A 19-year-old walked into a Frisco, Texas Wendy’s restaurant and fired off several shots after receiving the wrong order in the drive-thru line. FBI ranks restaurants as the 8th most common setting for violent crime. Far worse than a toxic McMuffin is the toxic environment created by people. So how do we live in a world where even egg McMuffins can be considered toxic?

Theologian Teilhard de Chardin writes that “the future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope.” Regardless of age or generational group that we belong to, we have a responsibility to “give the next generation reason to hope.”

Learning to live in a toxic world is not a new phenomenon, it is as old as time. A toxic environment began when Adam and Eve decided to live life on their terms. Their children found out quickly that life is not easy in a toxic world when Cain murdered Abel. Each generation since has struggled to find hope because of the sinful nature of society. In the last couple of decades, with the increasing use of social media, it seems as if toxic is now on steroids.

You find the anonymous comments on social media apps that seek to disparage instead of encouraging. You listen to news programs that belittle the other side instead of generating conversation that leads to solutions. During election cycles, all you see and hear are polarizing political ads that seek to destroy the other person.

I wish I could say that those of us who call ourselves Christians set a high bar for creating loving, caring communities. Thankfully, there have been some great examples of how to live life together, yet too often we reflect the values and toxicity of the world, not Jesus. We were never called to share the same viewpoints, only to live a life where “all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John13:35 Communities should be refuge and grace where salvation and hope are found.

Henri Nouwen said of community “Life is full of gains and losses, joys and sorrow, ups and downs—but we do not have to live it alone. We want to drink our cup together and thus celebrate the truth that the wounds of our individual lives, which seem intolerable when lived alone, become sources of healing when we live them as part of a fellowship of mutual care.”

Touches of grace are often little acts of kindness and respect that encourage others in their life. Tricia Rhynold is a mom that knows about toxic comments. Mother to Timothy, a 7-year-old little boy who loves life but has severe autism spectrum disorder. Learning to help her son navigate life in a world that is not always gracious is difficult. Yet, a note from the mom of one of the boys in her son’s class inviting him to a birthday party made a difference.

“Carter sat beside Timothy at school, and he always talks about him. I really hope he can come. We are renting a bounce castle that we can attach a small bounce slide at the bottom. We will also have water balloons and water guns. Maybe Timothy can come earlier in the day if it would be too much with the whole class. Let me know how we can make it work.”

A simple birthday invitation gave Timothy’s mom hope. In her reply, she wrote, “You wrote exactly what I needed to see that day and didn’t even know it. Because of your son he is included. Because of your son he feels wanted. Because of your son he has a voice. And I want you to know that because of you I can get through another day. Because of you I can get through another appointment. Because of you I can take more stares and more questions. Because of you I have hope for Timothy’s future.”

Followers of Jesus can and do change a toxic world. We can be a beautiful testimony of life to a dying world. Change can happen that is seldom big and flashy. It could be simply one note at a time, one visit to a neighbor at a time, one prayer for a friend at a time, or one word of encouragement to a stranger at a time.

Scripture is rich in wisdom on how to live in this world.  Paul said it better than I could ever say it with some great advice in Romans:

“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.” –12:9-21 The Message

We may live in a toxic world but we have an amazing God that changes everything! We can pass on to the next generation a reason to hope.

God is love!

Schools in Session!

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At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?” He called a child, had him stand among them, and said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven! …” But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. Matthew 18:1-3,6 NET

“Walking through the hallways at our middle school, I saw a new substitute teacher standing outside his classroom with his forehead against a locker. I heard him mutter, “How did you get yourself into this?” Knowing he was assigned to a difficult class, I tried to offer moral support. “Are you okay?” I asked. “Can I help?” He lifted his head and replied, “I’ll be fine as soon as I get this kid out of his locker.” –Readers Digest June 2021

School is in session! Oh, the joys of a new school year – little ones navigating their first year at school, parents crying as their babies head off to college, homeschoolers adjusting to their rhythm of learning, and most likely, some teachers helping middle schoolers get out of lockers. School, that unique journey of life filled with good and not-so-good memories is all part of growing up.

Proverbs lay a foundation for parents on their responsibility for equipping their children for the future. “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.” (22:6) Included in equipping children are teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers, janitors, and bus drivers – all helping parents to help their children.

There are lots of major issues facing our children in school today but one that is growing is violence. Since 2018 there have been 119 school shootings in the United States with 27 already in 2022. According to one expert on the violence he writes, “You study these things for so long and then you throw the rule book out. No one really knows why we’ve got the trends and violence we’re seeing right now. But I think at the same time, we’re coming to the same sorts of conclusions. It’s a combination of the pandemic; a lack of trust in our institutions, particularly law enforcement; the presence of guns; the toxic, divisive, contentious times we live in. They’re all interacting together.” –James A. Densley

I am sure the conclusions are based on some good solid data. However, I do think as followers of Jesus we can help paint a brighter future for our children. It is a future based upon a God who loves our children because they are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” –Psalm 139:13-16 and a future based upon a God that knows love so profoundly that “he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” –John 3:16

Based on the above verse in Matthew, Jesus makes it clear he is deeply concerned about our children.  He is concerned about their health, knowledge, and physical needs but especially their spiritual life. Jesus made it pretty clear how he feels about children if you, the adult, are a stumbling block in their lives.  Jesus’ disciples thought position and power were important until Jesus kept pointing them back to children to learn from them.

Parents can make a difference even in small actions.  One great example is Shreveport’s Southwood High School which saw a rash of violence last year resulting in 23 students being arrested. Parents knew something had to change so 40 dads stepped up and formed “Dads on Duty”. This group of dads took shifts at the school. No one had degrees in school counseling or criminal justice but they loved their children. Michael LaFitte said, “We’re dads. We decided the best people who can take care of our kids are who? Are us.” It was not a fancy program but was simply a presence that encouraged kids and maintained a positive learning environment. Result: No Violence.

Children are always important to Jesus. He got upset with his disciples when they tried to prevent parents from bringing their children to him “in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray.” The disciples thought they were guarding their master’s time and spoke sternly to the parents and told them to go away. No, that’s not the way it works! “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.” –Matthew 19:13-15

Prayer can impact our children. No day should go by that our children and teachers are not covered by prayer.  According to one survey on teacher satisfaction, 74% of respondents to a survey were dissatisfied with the job. This is up from 41% in 2020. My heart breaks over some of the articles I read as I prepared for this week’s blog post. Yet I am not in despair but more challenged to pray for our children, teachers, and political leaders. I was convicted as I wrote this that I didn’t know the names of my grandchildren’s teachers.  I do now and have made a prayer card to pray for them regularly. It is a simple thing, but, in the simple things, God makes the difference.

Pray as you pass a school, for the safety of the children and staff inside

Pray for our children who are confronted with choices daily, to be wise of heart

Pray for teachers’ wisdom, boldness, endurance, creativity, encouragement, health, joy

Pray for school staff as they protect and provide for our children

Pray for political leaders to govern wisely and with a heart toward God

Pray that the damage from the previous two years of Covid could be healed

Our culture is looking for answers. Will we, the followers of Jesus help them find the answer? John Stott said it well, “Thus the followers of Jesus are to be different—different from both the nominal church and the secular world, different from both the religious and the irreligious. The Sermon on the Mount is the most complete delineation anywhere in the New Testament of the Christian counter-culture. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, religious devotion, attitude to money, ambition, life-style and network of relationships—all of which are totally at variance with those of the non-Christian world. And this Christian counter-culture is the life of the kingdom of God, a fully human life indeed but lived out under the divine rule.”

Lord, as the world grows darker, let us grow brighter for the sake of others. We pray for our children, teachers, parents, schools, and leaders to seek you first for the answers to the problems of violence, hatred, and division. You are the Giver of Life, the Restorer of Hope, and the Redeemer of Souls.

God is Great!

Exceptional Sleepers

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Many say, “Who can show us anything good?” Smile upon us, LORD! You make me happier than those who have abundant grain and wine. I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, LORD, make me safe and secure. –Psalm 4: 6-8

Ever fall asleep in class, on a plane, in church, or standing in line at Kroger waiting to check out? Then you may be a candidate for a job with Casper Mattress Company. They are looking to hire some expert sleepers and posted this on their website, “Do you love to sleep? Then we have a job that will pay you to do just that. Join the Casper Sleepers and show off your sleeping skills in public, on social and anywhere else people are looking. So join us to literally sleep on the job because we believe a good sleep changes everything.” (Casper.com website)

Casper’s dream candidate has:

Exceptional sleeping ability

A desire to sleep as much as possible

Willingness to be in front of or behind the camera capturing content

Ability to sleep through anything

A passion for sharing and talking about all things sleep through our social channels

I don’t know if this would be my dream job but I can sleep anywhere. Sleep is a blessing when it is estimated that 10 to 30 percent of adults struggle with chronic insomnia. In one of their reports, the Sleep Foundation said, “Insufficient sleep has an estimated economic impact of over $411 Billion each year in the United States alone.” In addition, “Drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6,000 fatal car crashes every year in the United States.”

Some of the major causes of sleep deprivation include stress, anxiety, work-related pressures, bedroom too hot or cold, uncomfortable beds, alcohol, caffeine, jet lag, using electronic devices close to bedtime, or watching TV in bed before going to sleep. The list could go on and on. Outside of health-related sleeping issues, many of the hot button causes of sleep deprivation come from us. Going to bed too late, looking at our Smartphones before bed, drinking that second cup of Starbucks coffee an hour before bedtime, or watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series before falling asleep!

Jesus taught us calmness through sleep. During a major storm when his disciples were in a state of panic as “the waves began to swamp the boat.” Instead of finding Jesus anxious and worried about the storm, they found him sleeping. So they came and woke him up saying, “Lord, save us! We are about to die!” There is nothing worse than being awakened from a deep sleep and Jesus was no exception. A little rebuke to the disciples before He took care of the situation.  “Why are you afraid, you of little faith? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was dead calm.” Matthew 8:25-26

Peter taught us trust through the gift of sleep. His friend and co-laborer, James had been executed by King Herod and now Peter finds himself between two burly soldiers waiting his fate. What do we find Peter doing? Sleeping. “Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.” Acts 12: 6 He could have stayed awake worrying about the situation and his pending execution but his hope was in the Giver of Life, so he slept.

Elijah taught us spiritual and physical renewal through the gift of sleep. He had been on the mountaintop of success, literally raining fire down on the false prophets but now he was running into the wilderness out of fear for his life. “Elijah stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. Suddenly an angelic messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat…he ate and drank and then slept some more.” I Kings 19:4-6 Through God’s gift of rest and sleep, Elijah was renewed and sent back to work.

God taught us reliance upon Him through the gift of sleep. Research consistently confirms the human body needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, so roughly a third of our lives is spent sleeping. Sleep and rest were part of God’s creative plan. Whether sleeping on a Casper Mattress or between two soldiers on a cold floor, it is our statement of trust that God has everything under control. “When you lie down you will not be filled with fear; when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant. Do not be afraid of sudden disaster or when destruction overtakes the wicked; for the LORD will be the source of your confidence.” Proverbs 3:24-26

When we fall asleep we being to turn off our conscious mind and thoughts and begin to let go of our usual daytime defenses.  Living in the fullness of God’s love allows us to sleep during the vulnerability of night. Tonight, as you lay down, remember that sleep is among the many gifts that God gave us to live life. “It is vain for you to rise early morning, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he provides for those whom he loves even when they sleep.” —Psalm 127:2 NET

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go.”—Psalm 143:8 (NIV UK) “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.”—Teresa of Avila

Now guide me waking, O Lord,

and guard me sleeping;

that awake I may watch with Christ,

and asleep I may rest in peace.   (Night Prayer from the ancient Night Offices of the Church)

God is great!

 

Yet – One Word that Changed Everything

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Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane …Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” –Matthew 26:36a,38-39

Then they went to a place called Gethsemane…I am deeply grieved, even to death…he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” –Mark 14:32a,34-36

Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done. –Luke 22:42

How many times have you told yourself, that this day sure did go by fast? If you made that statement on June 29, 2022, you would have been correct. You lost 1.59 milliseconds on your typical 24-hour day. The Earth spun faster around its axis on June 29, making it the shortest day since the 1960s when scientists started measuring the planet’s rotation with atomic clocks. The phenomenon known as the “Chandler wobble” was first spotted in the late 1880s by astronomer Seth Carlo Chandler when he noticed the poles wobbled over a 14-month period.

This “Chandler wobble” seems insignificant compared to the day when Jesus used the word yet as a simple conjunction that shook heaven and earth. The Jesus wobble of Gethsemane came after the greatest struggles in history. His Garden of Gethsemane became a place of struggle, doubt, despair, prayer, and finally, relinquishing obedience.

“In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was utterly honest in prayer. He knew that His mission was to “suffer many thing” (Luke 9:22) and yet He begged God to take the cup of suffering away from Him. This is not the kind of thing that messiahs are meant to pray. It’s a prayer that runs counter to God’s revealed purposes. But in this heart-rending request, we are assured that it’s okay to grieve and cry, to plead with God, and to wonder why. In fact, it’s more that okay—it’s affirmed as something that expresses His heart. God accepts our honesty.” –Pete Greig

Jesus modeled for us in Gethsemane – fear, anxiousness, hope, courage, and obedience as we find ourselves in our own Garden of Gethsemane. Our gardens will look different from each other but they are gardens that often push us to the cliff of despair and distress. I know in my own life through the years that these gardens were complex and at the time, not always wanted. I found one of my gardens at Glorieta Conference Center battling in my soul over the decision to say yes to God’s invitation to serve in overseas missions. I found another garden in Mmabatho facing the challenges of a very sick child. I found myself in another garden at the IMB chapel hearing the announcement that hundreds of missionaries would be brought off the mission field.

In each of my garden experiences, I had to battle in prayer and often felt frustrated with God. The inevitable questions of why surfaced in my soul. Surely, I didn’t have to face these ordeals, there has to be a better way. You will find that the Garden of Gethsemane are frightening, stressful, challenging, and spiritually draining. Gethsemane which means “the oil press” becomes the spiritual press in our lives. Olive oil can only come after subjecting olives to intense pressure. The same oil that has been used for generations to meet daily needs of cooking, light, and healing has always been a critical component in many worship services.

I don’t know how you contended with God in your own garden experience, but Jesus gave you the perfect example of how to walk through the experience. When He cried out to God to “let this cup pass from me,” angels and demons alike looked upon this scene waiting to see what would happen. Our future hope waited upon the answer that would come from Jesus on that night. God waited expectantly for the answer. Then the earth probably wobbled just slightly as Jesus cried out, “yet.” Everyone now waited in anticipation of what Jesus would say. Finally, the words, “not what I want, but what you want.” As these words are spoken, our hope of eternity is set in motion.

Jesus allowed us to look in on his garden of Gethsemane’s agony that night.  He questioned, asked for a different way, wrestled with God for the cup to pass but came to the lifegiving words that allowed God to set in motion what needed to be done. If we discount Jesus’ struggle in the garden, we will discount our struggles when we find ourselves in these garden times. There will always be a moment when we finally have to either say yes to God’s will or yes to our own will.

God allows us to come to these yet moments of life out of His great love for us. Andrew Murray wrote that “the power of prayer depends almost entirely upon our apprehension of who it is with whom we speak.” It is in this place as we say yes to God’s will that we experience hope, life, and purpose.

Pete Greig, British pastor and founder of the 24/7 prayer movement shared about his own battle in his Garden of Gethsemane with God as he grieved over the possibility of his wife facing death. He realized that “Ultimately, peace lies in accepting that God knows best….When we are scared and hurting, when life feels chaotic and out of control, it is more important than ever to anchor ourselves in the absolute and eternal truth that we are dearly loved and deeply held by the most powerful being in the universe. Let this be the great non-negotiable in our lives, the platform for all our other thoughts, and the plumbline for our prayers.”

I am thankful that in our Garden of Gethsemane moments we do not face them alone. What will it cost you to say yes?  Did it cost Jesus to say yes to God’s will? What would it have cost the world if his answer had been no?

“Father in heaven, when the thought of you wakes in our hearts, let it not wake like a frightened bird that flies about in dismay, but like a child waking from its sleep with a heavenly smile.” –Soren Kierkegaard

God is great!

God’s streams are full of water

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You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance, O God, our savior. All the ends of the earth trust in you, as well as those living across the wide seas. You created the mountains by your power and demonstrated your strength. You calmed the raging seas and their roaring waves, as well as the commotion made by the nations. Even those living in the remotest areas are awestruck by your acts; you cause those living in the east and west to praise you. You visit the earth and give it rain; you make it rich and fertile. God’s streams are full of water; you provide grain for the people of the earth, for you have prepared the earth in this way. You saturate its furrows and soak its plowed ground. With rain showers you soften its soil, and make its crops grow. You crown the year with your good blessings, and you leave abundance in your wake. The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture, and the hills are clothed with joy. The meadows are clothed with sheep, and the valleys are covered with grain. They shout joyfully, yes, they sing. Psalm 65:5-13 NET

Climate change! Just mention the words at a party if you want to stir up heated conversations. Watch the host grow pale and try to change the subject before it is too late.  The very mention of climate change creates animosity. If you have serious questions about the politics of climate change, you are labeled a denier or maybe worse. If you see some legitimacy in the issue you are quickly labeled as ‘one of those’. The dialogue about climate change seems to be at the forefront of political debate, news headlines, and international conferences.

“Should we ‘dim the sun’ to tackle global warming? Scientists are torn.” This Twitter headline caught my attention the other day. Solar geoengineering is over half a century old with a renewed interest in the field in recent years.  Backers of climate-cooling technology contend that it could help rein in global hearting and its impacts. Critics maintain the effects of releasing chemicals into the atmosphere could unleash unknown consequences.

Stewart Brand once wrote in “The Whole Earth Catalogue” that “we are as gods and might as well get good at it.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long to look around and see that humans are not very good at being gods. One writer commenting upon the statement said, “human beings act upon nature at fantastic scale, altering whole ecosystems, terraforming the world to our purposes, breeding new species into existence, and driving countless more into extinction. The power we wield is awesome. But Brand was overly optimistic. We did not get good at it. We are terrible at it, and the consequences surround us.”

One thing I see missing so often in the climate change debate is the lack of seeking input from the Creator and owner Himself. God never forfeited ownership of His creation as He spoke creation into existence and summed it up in Genesis 1:31 “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” God has never been an absentee landlord. The Psalmist gave a beautiful yet powerful reminder of God’s ownership when he wrote, “God’s streams are full of water.” God’s care of the earth even awakens those who live “in the remotest areas.”

Scientists, politicians, and academicians can and should debate the consequences of climate change. We can have our opinions, disagree with published findings, and seek other alternatives. Yet we have a responsibility for the care of this planet, but from the role that God gave us. The late Peter Marshall tells the story of the Keeper of the Spring, a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slope of the Alps.

“The old gentleman had been hired many years earlier by a young town councilman to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity, he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise have choked and contaminated the fresh flow of water. The village soon became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal-clear spring, the mill wheels of various businesses located near the water turned day and night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond description.

Years passed. One evening the town council met for its semiannual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one man’s eye caught the salary figure being paid the obscure keeper of the spring. Said the keeper of the purse, “Who is the old man? Why do we keep him on year after year? No one ever sees him. For all we know, the strange ranger of the hills is doing us no good. He isn’t necessary any longer.” By a unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old man’s services.

For several weeks, nothing changed.

By early autumn, the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped off and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of sparkling water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint in the spring. A few days later, the water was much darker. Within another week, a slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks, and a foul odor was soon detected. The mill wheels moved more slowly, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left, as did the tourists. Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into the village.

Quickly, the embarrassed council called a special meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they rehired the old keeper of the spring, and within a few weeks, the veritable river of life began to clear up. The wheels started to turn, and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps.”

The Keeper of the Spring story reminds us that our roles may seem minor, but each person can and does make a difference. We can be faithful caretakers of the springs that are in our care by minimizing wastefulness and keeping our own springs clean. We have a role to play in this planet’s care, but our hope and trust are in God, the ultimate owner, and creator. I can guarantee that He is still very much engaged in the care of this planet when:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. —Gen 1:1

The LORD owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. –Ps 24:1

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. –Heb 3:4

For the earth and its fullness are the LORD’s. —I Cor 10:26

For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. —Psalm 50:10

And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them. —Acts 4:24

Lord, this planet is a small part of your vast creation. We acknowledge your ownership and ask for wisdom to care for it properly. We ask you to give wisdom to global leaders to make wise decisions. Amen.

God is great!