September 23rd, 2013 Commentary on Henri Nouwen's Daily Meditation

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Meditation--The-Sacredness-of-God-s-Handiwork.html?soid=1011221485028&aid=r_XPHYZYN4Q

In case the above link to Henri Nouwen’s Daily Meditation doesn’t work:

Monday September 23, 2013

The Sacredness of God's Handiwork

How do we live in creation?  Do we relate to it as a place full of "things" we can use for whatever need we want to fulfill and whatever goal we wish to accomplish?   Or do we see creation first of all as a sacramental reality, a sacred space where God reveals to us the immense beauty of the Divine?

As long as we only use creation, we cannot recognize its sacredness because we are approaching it as if we are its owners.  But when we relate to all that surrounds us as created by the same God who created us and as the place where God appears to us and calls us to worship and adoration, then we are able to recognize the sacred quality of all God's handiwork.

My Commentary:

One of the passages in Scripture I have always had a problem with is Genesis 1:26-28. “ ²⁶Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” ²⁷So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ²⁸God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”  It’s not so much obviously with being created in the image of God but the word dominion itself.  Dominion has never shared a clear or positive understanding in relation to our roles within society.  Perhaps the text would have been understood more clearly if steward or stewardship was used instead of dominion? 

We have become so indifferent to creation with nuclear waste dumping, experimenting unethically on animals and riches of the earth, fracking, ocean drilling and what not.  There have been many warnings by genuinely concerned stewards to God’s creation but little has been heeded to.  It was only a few years ago that we saw the non-stop oil spill in the Gulf darkening the sea floor and the very sad and troubling pictures of innocent animals being killed by its toxicity.  Was the plunder worth it all?  A part of our living into the Light of GRACE is hearing God’s Word with a humble and obedient heart.  Perhaps hearing this Word, dominion, again and thinking from the place as truly a child of God… you would know that is meaning stewardship, guardianship of the beautiful and sacred gift of life our Loving and Gracious God bestowed upon the earth.

God Bless Your Mondays!

Nicole Collins