Day 4 Stewardship

Day 4 Stewardship

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 English Standard Version

Interestingly, after God breathed out this world, shaping man with his hands out of the dust and breathing life into him, He places us in His creation to keep it. This passage and similar passages in Genesis 1, often referred to as “Dominion” passages, remind us of the stewardship nature of our place in creation. Man, sitting at the apex of creation, exerts power over all that he sees. In fact, most of us rarely consider our role as stewards; instead, we view ourselves as owners with the right to use creation as we see fit. Oddly, many of the societies and cultures we view as backward or underdeveloped understand stewardship of nature better. They appreciate our transient nature and find the concept of land-ownership alien. However, we view nature as something we own and exploit as we desire.

Almost everywhere one looks, we fail at stewardship. We consume vast quantities of resources with little thought to the future. We alter the landscape to suit our own desires, without considering the effects we have on other humans and the garden. While I’m certain that Paul references the sinful and fallen state of creation, it is good to remember that “all of creation groans,” longing for restoration (Romans 8:22). During the lock-down in the early days of the pandemic, while we sat at home, the garden rebounded, showing a surprising resilience. In a variety of ways, the garden blossomed with greater vigor, reminding me that better things are possible.

So, this Christmas season as I sit looking out at my backyard, draped in the mourning rags of fall with wizened sticks reminding me of Spring and Summer glory, I wonder. I wonder what kind of gardener God wants. How would He remake me? How would He have me treat nature differently? How can I order my steps so that more of us can enjoy the bounty of His garden? How can I think of others? How can I join in God’s ongoing act of creation and redemption?