Summer, Creation, and Compassion: A Season to Reflect, Rejoice, and Respond

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Memorial Day is nearly upon us, the school year is coming to an end, and it seems that summer is creeping up on us. Many of us are already looking ahead to the height of vacation season. Vacation, for many, means travel and time spent outdoors. Whether at the lake, in the mountains, or somewhere in between or beyond, we have before us this summer the opportunity to enjoy the majesty and beauty of God’s creation.

Psalm 24:1 plainly states, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it…” The point should be clear: the earth is a gift to us from God. We are reminded in chapter one of Genesis that what God made is “very good.”

God’s creation is here for us to enjoy. But let us not be confused by the charge to subdue the earth and have dominion over it (Genesis 1:28). This is not a license to abuse or destroy its beauty to satisfy our self-styled “needs.” We should understand this as a charge to care for creation and to develop an attitude reflective of God’s own. God’s power and genius can be seen in creation. When we spend time in nature and reflect on the beauty of the world God has made, we draw closer to Him.

So take some time to really pay attention to the genius of God’s creation, and allow yourself to be amazed and humbled by the way God has entrusted it to us. Give thanks for the amazing plants and animals God has created. Marvel at their beauty and their strangeness. Immerse yourself in your senses—see the colors, listen to the sounds, smell the scents, feel the textures, even take time to taste—and be awed by what God has done. In those moments, give thanks and pray, for it is often easier to talk with God and ponder His blessings while surrounded by His handiwork. God didn’t place us in a garden at the beginning for no reason.

Enjoy—the world is yours. And while you are at it, have a conversation with God. In that conversation, remember also that part of the creation God declared “good” is our fellow human beings, walking and sharing the earth with us. Indeed, unlike the rest of creation we celebrate, these fellow human beings are, like you, created in the image of God—and thus, perhaps, deserve even more of your attention than the rest of creation.

Life is always challenging, but these times are especially so for far too many of our sisters and brothers. We cannot close our eyes to what is happening around us, or to the struggles of those who, like us, are made in the image of God. So I challenge you: as you enjoy the beauty and majesty of God’s creation and give thanks in prayer, take time to pray for the people who are also created to enjoy this world. Remember that each one embodies the beauty and majesty of God.

As you give thanks to God and beseech the Lord to act on their behalf, be bold and ask what God would have YOU do for them. And of course, ask for the strength and courage to act accordingly.

May the peace and blessings of God, the joy of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Mitchell Lee Miller