God’s streams are full of water

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!