"It was a fight for survival
that broke out in revival"
-Ray Stevens
The Tweet that started the questions rolling:
"3.5 church staffers just freed 1 very live bird from a drain clogged with over a foot of debris, & a very dead squirrel. Bird WIN!"
Having been a church staff member lo these nearly 8 years, I have lots of stories to tell. Collecting those stories in written form is often suggested, and this is just one of those bizarre yet triumphant tales of God's sense of humor. So sit back and enjoy.
Last week, some uncomfortable situations and news of friends and family in crisis left me in a bit of spin on Tuesday, the first day of my work week. It also happened that on top of my regular work I had a newsletter due and a massive food drive to prep for (which, praise God, went incredibly smooth). I was swamped, literally and emotionally.
But Tuesday just happened to be a really beautiful day, the kind we usually tend to miss trapped in an office with windows you can't open. (Well, you could open them. But only once.) So that afternoon somebody, or everybody, got the bright idea to take the staff meeting outside. There's only four of us, so we grabbed some chairs and went off to the side of the building to take in some sun.
As we were sharing prayer requests, I noticed a sound coming from a gutter and went to investigate. Scratching. My stomach sank. There was a bird stuck in there. Maybe a squirrel. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's creatures trapped and terrified.
I walked back to the guys and didn't say anything, but immediately started praying we could get whatever it was out.
Soon they noticed the sound too, and we all went over to investigate. This was a gutter drain from a two story flat gym roof, and it was screwed on to a flexible plastic drain that ran under a bit of ground to open up a few feet later. But the really odd thing was that the movement and scratching were nowhere near the bottom of the metal gutter. It was a foot or more above that point, which could mean only one thing. Clogged gutter.
I told them from experience there were almost definitely dead things in there. I'd freed a sparrow from the side of a house once, only to find him in there with the bones of his brethren. This, I presumed, would not be pretty.
Waiting for tools, I held on to the pipe and tapped. And then... the creature tapped back! This communication took place more than once. If I was a crier, I woulda lost it right there. I've halted traffic to rescue dazed birds in the middle of Highway 67. Nothing would stop me now.
The youth pastor produced a screwdriver, and we started the task of removing metal from plastic. Sure enough, when we got it undone it was clogged full of debris. We tried using sticks, but with little success. So I stepped in to reluctantly reach up the pipe (with my right arm, not the recently fractured left one), and started digging, pulling out clods of dead leaves and who-knows-what, my arm up the pipe nearly to my elbow as I'm mumbling, "Dead things, dead things, dead things..." Not exactly how I planned to spend my afternoon.
Eventually the associate pastor found a crowbar which we managed to use to get some more clumps out. (We also noticed the scratching sound was going higher up the pipe as he pushed...) At one point, said pastor stopped and asked, "Do you guys smell that?" but shrugged, and we kept on working.
Shortly after, a large clump fell out... and a small bird flew out! Followed by something else unidentified plopping on the ground. For the bird I was elated, as it flew off to a distant tree to look back at us in some bewilderment, with the senior pastor, and the only one without mud on his hands, waving and yelling, "You're welcome!" (Yes, he was the ".5 staffer." The cheering squad.)
We all turned back to the unidentified gray thing. Someone poked it with a stick to reveal a very dead, large, adult squirrel, and we all let out a collective, disgusted groan. Fortunately a church member, who also happens to be a nurse, had shown up to watch the spectacle, and provided a rubber glove with which I could carry the poor thing off by the tail to some overgrowth.
Mission accomplished, three of us headed inside to detox. I haven't been that covered in mud in a while, and I still have a nice mark on my forearm from the job. But the satisfaction of freeing that little bird made it all worthwhile. And a day that started off not so great ended up in a classic rescue operation.
If that wasn't enough, after I got home and we were heading out for Ben & Jerry's free cone day, I opened the door to our garage to find a very live squirrel on the hood of my car! He scampered down the hood and out the door quick, but I could not believe it. (There has since been some speculation as to whether they just have a really good network, or if it rode home on the undercarriage to take revenge over a huge misunderstanding of the day's events. However, no brake lines were chewed.)
Honestly, I can't make this stuff up. (Well, except that last bit.) I say it often, I truly love the Lord's sense of humor, and I thank Him for setting all this up in the midst of everything to provide the relief of rescuing one of His birds and giving us a lot of laughs, even in the fairly hilarious social networking discussion that ensued.
The bird we saved to live another day, but a little revival happened in me. Thank you, Lord, for redirecting my focus once again. And for simply making me smile.
"A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
-Proverbs 17:22
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." -John 17:3 (ESV)
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
3.29.2010
6.15.2007
all creation groans
"Created, then drilled and invaded.
If somebody made it, someone will mess it up."
-Coldplay, "Twisted Logic"
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." -Romans 8:18-22
In reading the above verse, it's clear that it's not just us waiting for things to improve. All of creation is waiting to be delivered. But it also seems, in recent times, that the groaning is getting louder.
As I've stated previously, it's taken us just at 100 years to pollute the entire planet in order to have things "we can't live without." But as discussions of "global warming" and "climate change" arise, I frequently like to remind people, there are two very important things everyone needs to remember:
1) In general, we have very little control over this planet.
Yes, a lot of our behavior is affecting environmental changes in various ways. Take for example the heat island effect in larger cities, the fact that destruction of swamp land below New Orleans allowed Hurricane Katrina to hit with much more force than if plant protection had been in place, or the destruction of rain forest which lends itself to, among other things, further extinction of plants and animals exclusive to the region.
However, many of the "climate changes" we see also come with standard weather patterns and the way the planet is designed to work in general, and we can't forget all that just because local temperatures aren't reading the way we're used too for a week, or even a month. Honestly, it wasn't so long ago that we were talking about global cooling and the possibility of having to forcibly melt the polar ice caps. (See Newsweek magazine, April 28, 1975.)
So, as a very fine local weather man recently put it, the question is how much of climate change is due to what humans are doing, and how much is just the planet doing what the planet was designed to do?
Now, for some, the theological question is how much of the wild weather and natural disasters we're seeing might be due to God's wrath? We currently have no answer to that question, but we're also not hearing loud claims of responsibility for events such as tsunami causing earthquakes and other such phenomena.
No matter what your take on that, consider this:
"For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." -Psalm 135:5-7
Bottom line? God is in control of all that's happening, one way or another.
2) Most people don't realize how much effect each individual has on their immediate environment.
Industrialized nations produce tons of waste and byproducts per person each year. It has gotten to the point that we are actually paying people to dig recyclable products out of our landfills for reuse.
It would certainly make a lot more sense to save that money by taking the time up front to recycle the maximum amount of product possible, and limiting use of anything we are unable to recycle. And a lot of people are making attempts to do just that.
That's just one example of something you can do. And we all know many other ways to do what's best for everyone by doing what's best for the planet. Remember, we've been placed in a specific and orderly framework with specific and real consequences for every action. Clearly, pollution and disease are unquestionable consequences, but folks have a tendency to conveniently forget that when their convenience is threatened.
It doesn't take a genius, or a theologian, to figure out that everything is suffering more and more on account of mankind's demands to have things easy, especially in an age where we can clearly see the damage we've caused. Once again, I call for that fine balance between acting upon what we care about and realizing the Lord is in control. And I pray more Christians become willing to step up and help in the right ways and for the right reason—the glory of the Creator—as we await for that Day when we, and all creation, are delivered from this mess.
• Read all related posts.
If somebody made it, someone will mess it up."
-Coldplay, "Twisted Logic"
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." -Romans 8:18-22
In reading the above verse, it's clear that it's not just us waiting for things to improve. All of creation is waiting to be delivered. But it also seems, in recent times, that the groaning is getting louder.
As I've stated previously, it's taken us just at 100 years to pollute the entire planet in order to have things "we can't live without." But as discussions of "global warming" and "climate change" arise, I frequently like to remind people, there are two very important things everyone needs to remember:
1) In general, we have very little control over this planet.
Yes, a lot of our behavior is affecting environmental changes in various ways. Take for example the heat island effect in larger cities, the fact that destruction of swamp land below New Orleans allowed Hurricane Katrina to hit with much more force than if plant protection had been in place, or the destruction of rain forest which lends itself to, among other things, further extinction of plants and animals exclusive to the region.
However, many of the "climate changes" we see also come with standard weather patterns and the way the planet is designed to work in general, and we can't forget all that just because local temperatures aren't reading the way we're used too for a week, or even a month. Honestly, it wasn't so long ago that we were talking about global cooling and the possibility of having to forcibly melt the polar ice caps. (See Newsweek magazine, April 28, 1975.)
So, as a very fine local weather man recently put it, the question is how much of climate change is due to what humans are doing, and how much is just the planet doing what the planet was designed to do?
Now, for some, the theological question is how much of the wild weather and natural disasters we're seeing might be due to God's wrath? We currently have no answer to that question, but we're also not hearing loud claims of responsibility for events such as tsunami causing earthquakes and other such phenomena.
No matter what your take on that, consider this:
"For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." -Psalm 135:5-7
Bottom line? God is in control of all that's happening, one way or another.
2) Most people don't realize how much effect each individual has on their immediate environment.
Industrialized nations produce tons of waste and byproducts per person each year. It has gotten to the point that we are actually paying people to dig recyclable products out of our landfills for reuse.
It would certainly make a lot more sense to save that money by taking the time up front to recycle the maximum amount of product possible, and limiting use of anything we are unable to recycle. And a lot of people are making attempts to do just that.
That's just one example of something you can do. And we all know many other ways to do what's best for everyone by doing what's best for the planet. Remember, we've been placed in a specific and orderly framework with specific and real consequences for every action. Clearly, pollution and disease are unquestionable consequences, but folks have a tendency to conveniently forget that when their convenience is threatened.
It doesn't take a genius, or a theologian, to figure out that everything is suffering more and more on account of mankind's demands to have things easy, especially in an age where we can clearly see the damage we've caused. Once again, I call for that fine balance between acting upon what we care about and realizing the Lord is in control. And I pray more Christians become willing to step up and help in the right ways and for the right reason—the glory of the Creator—as we await for that Day when we, and all creation, are delivered from this mess.
• Read all related posts.
4.22.2007
christian environmentalism
(Watch the surprisingly good documentary "Is God Green?"
Also, take a moment to read a commentary by Greg Koukl.)
That's becoming quite clear of late as we hear increased talk of "global warming" and "climate change," but even more as we see environmental damage affect us personally. All of a sudden, many who have, for whatever reason, been silent in the past are now sitting up and taking notice that something is wrong.
When I was a kid, we heard a lot about acid rain, turning off the water tap and light switch, and always cutting your six pack plastics before throwing them out so ducks wouldn't get stuck in them. But environmentalism was often considered a movement of the fringe–those who were just trying to make life difficult for the rest of us. It became a political struggle, just like everything else, between those battling for the planet and those fighting for industry.
Now I realize, as with anything, some folks take things too far. And, usually, those are the ones who get the media attention. But that's not everyone. There are a lot of people who genuinely care that we are doing serious damage to the only planet we've got (despite the ideals of individuals like Stephen Hawking, who would have us "boldly go" elsewhere). And many of those who care are also followers of Jesus Christ.
In reality, this is only fitting, as our Lord is the One who created it all.
"All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." -John 1:3
So for the Christian, environmentalism has nothing to do with worshiping the creation, and everything to do with worshiping our Creator by respecting all that He made.
I often ask, what type of future do we expect for the generations who follow us? For those who believe in the sanctity of human life, this should be an especially important question. Is our life of ease more important than clean air and water, safe places to spend time in creation and healthy food? Or do the conveniences of our "now" overshadow any consequence for tomorrow—for everyone including ourselves?
When I think of this, I consider Jesus' answer to the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:35-40:"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Everything we do that knowingly and willfully harms the environment also disrespects the Creator. (And we can no longer say "we didn't know.") Therefore, for the Christian, caring for the planet should be as much about "loving the Lord our God" as anything else we do.
Everything we do that affects the environment also affects everyone else around us. Therefore, for the Christian, doing our part to care for the planet should be as much about "loving our neighbor" as anything else we do.
Christian, don't get hung up in all the "love your mother" (as in "mother earth") statements. Love your Heavenly Father and your brother and sister in Christ instead.
• Read all related posts.
3.23.2007
look at the stars...
"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork."
-Psalm 19:1(b)
"Look up, I look up at night,
Planets are moving at the speed of light."
-Coldplay, "Speed of Sound"
I'm not sure where some people got this idea, but God never said it was okay to destroy the planet He made. And, no, "subdue" and "have dominion over" (found in Genesis 1:28) do not mean "destroy."
All of creation was designed to show God's glory and creativity. Destruction of that creation decreases our ability to see His glory clearly.
Where I live, in a heavily lit suburb, I look up on a clear night, see the stars, moon and planets and think, "Wow, that's incredible. Beautiful."
But when I drive a few hours out of town and set my eyes on the sky, I suddenly realize how few stars I can actually see back home. Even something so useful as electric light has diminished my ability to fully see God's glory in creation on a regular basis.
This alone makes me think twice about the things we do to "make life easier." But think about the destruction of fields and forests, oceans and streams, all in the name of progress. I'm not so sure we're progressing in the direction we'd hoped. And if this "progress" continues to drag us further from seeing the glory of our Creator, how is that a good thing?
Convenience is coming at a heavy cost. I pray we are not so blinded by our own desires that we eventually cease to see the beauty of creation, the splendor of God's glory, which surrounds us every day.
• Read all related posts.
-Psalm 19:1(b)
"Look up, I look up at night,
Planets are moving at the speed of light."
-Coldplay, "Speed of Sound"
I'm not sure where some people got this idea, but God never said it was okay to destroy the planet He made. And, no, "subdue" and "have dominion over" (found in Genesis 1:28) do not mean "destroy."
All of creation was designed to show God's glory and creativity. Destruction of that creation decreases our ability to see His glory clearly.
Where I live, in a heavily lit suburb, I look up on a clear night, see the stars, moon and planets and think, "Wow, that's incredible. Beautiful."
But when I drive a few hours out of town and set my eyes on the sky, I suddenly realize how few stars I can actually see back home. Even something so useful as electric light has diminished my ability to fully see God's glory in creation on a regular basis.
This alone makes me think twice about the things we do to "make life easier." But think about the destruction of fields and forests, oceans and streams, all in the name of progress. I'm not so sure we're progressing in the direction we'd hoped. And if this "progress" continues to drag us further from seeing the glory of our Creator, how is that a good thing?
Convenience is coming at a heavy cost. I pray we are not so blinded by our own desires that we eventually cease to see the beauty of creation, the splendor of God's glory, which surrounds us every day.
• Read all related posts.
2.01.2007
5 to midnight
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only,"
-Jesus, Matthew 24:36 (and Mark 13:32)
"It's the end of the world as we know it,
I feel fine."
-REM
On January 17, 2007, the Doomsday Clock ticked forward. According to the experts, we're now "5 minutes to midnight," or the end of the world.
Doomsday Clock... ever heard of it? It makes the press from time to time. The symbolic time piece was created in 1947, set at "7 minutes" from the end, and has been ticking forward and back ever since, depending on the current state of the world and who held what nukes. Now, 18 changes later, we're still holding at 5 minutes. And this recent tick, say these "experts," is due to global climate change.
Now, as much as I would like to ask them who exactly is going to be there to set this thing to midnight (...), I would much rather like to ask what is the point of this clock? I can only assume that they assume it's sounding an alarm. If we continue on this path, we will destroy ourselves. So, if we make some noise about it, we can get the world's attention and stop it before it's too late.
Make the majority care to change their ways? This I have every reason to doubt.
It has taken just roughly 100 years for industrialization to pollute the entire planet. That time frame is a droplet in the expanse of human history, regardless of how long you imagine we've been around. And in that time, our Creator has allowed for some incredible leaps and bounds in technology, science, medicine and our basic understanding of the planet in general.
Leave it to us to botch that up by creating unnatural things out of natural (as that was all the source material we had to work with in the first place).
Leave it to us to destroy the beauty of His creation, and desire more and more "luxeries" that all but a handful of visionaries just four generations ago probably never even dreamed possible.
And leave it to us to desire to maintain the ease of a life filled with money, manufactured things and processed meals more than we desire to care for the planet designed to sustain our lives in the first place.
I know some have been misguided into thinking they were doing something good for humanity which ended up backfiring on all of us. But, primarily, we are in this mess as people do evil things, caring only for themselves and how to further their own goals. That's the epitome of sin. And anyone who still reckons mankind is going to "improve" in the future, like sci-fi always promised, isn't paying attention.
Still, nothing is happening that should really be catching us off guard, if you are a Christian anyway. Actually, I guess I should say none of this is a surprise to our Lord. The Bible does speak to things appearing out of control as the Day of the Lord (a.k.a. Second Coming) approaches (Matthew 24:1-51). And for all we don't know about the end of the world, we can be very clear on a few things, such as:
1) Jesus will return before we get to destroy ourselves completely. There will definitely be at least some of us still around during the final events of planet Earth. (Check Revelation.)
2) When Jesus returns things will happen fast, and no one will be able to stop the events that unfold. (2 Peter 3:10 for example.)
3) No one knows when this will happen. (See Matthew 24:36 again.)
4) God is in control of all of the events of now and then. Not us. (Read James 4:13-16 for just a taste of that.)
Now I happen to be a pretty hardcore environmentalist. I do believe that, alarms or no alarms, each individual is called to take care of their portion of the planet, especially if you're a Christian (more on that in blogs future... if I get to write them). But I also take to heart the fact that we are not in control of this planet, or of other people. We need to find the true balance between doing what we've been called to do and realizing He really is in control.
We may be a literal 5 minutes from the end as you read this. Or maybe it's 5 years, or 5 millenia. We just don't know. Whatever time we as individuals, and human history in general, have left, that's time to get to know your Creator. Allow me to introduce you.
And Christian, remember, we have no spirit of fear. Look ahead to the day of your redemption and live now for the glory of God—even if it is only for the next 5 minutes.
• Read all related posts.
-Jesus, Matthew 24:36 (and Mark 13:32)
"It's the end of the world as we know it,
I feel fine."
-REM
On January 17, 2007, the Doomsday Clock ticked forward. According to the experts, we're now "5 minutes to midnight," or the end of the world.
Doomsday Clock... ever heard of it? It makes the press from time to time. The symbolic time piece was created in 1947, set at "7 minutes" from the end, and has been ticking forward and back ever since, depending on the current state of the world and who held what nukes. Now, 18 changes later, we're still holding at 5 minutes. And this recent tick, say these "experts," is due to global climate change.
Now, as much as I would like to ask them who exactly is going to be there to set this thing to midnight (...), I would much rather like to ask what is the point of this clock? I can only assume that they assume it's sounding an alarm. If we continue on this path, we will destroy ourselves. So, if we make some noise about it, we can get the world's attention and stop it before it's too late.
Make the majority care to change their ways? This I have every reason to doubt.
It has taken just roughly 100 years for industrialization to pollute the entire planet. That time frame is a droplet in the expanse of human history, regardless of how long you imagine we've been around. And in that time, our Creator has allowed for some incredible leaps and bounds in technology, science, medicine and our basic understanding of the planet in general.
Leave it to us to botch that up by creating unnatural things out of natural (as that was all the source material we had to work with in the first place).
Leave it to us to destroy the beauty of His creation, and desire more and more "luxeries" that all but a handful of visionaries just four generations ago probably never even dreamed possible.
And leave it to us to desire to maintain the ease of a life filled with money, manufactured things and processed meals more than we desire to care for the planet designed to sustain our lives in the first place.
I know some have been misguided into thinking they were doing something good for humanity which ended up backfiring on all of us. But, primarily, we are in this mess as people do evil things, caring only for themselves and how to further their own goals. That's the epitome of sin. And anyone who still reckons mankind is going to "improve" in the future, like sci-fi always promised, isn't paying attention.
Still, nothing is happening that should really be catching us off guard, if you are a Christian anyway. Actually, I guess I should say none of this is a surprise to our Lord. The Bible does speak to things appearing out of control as the Day of the Lord (a.k.a. Second Coming) approaches (Matthew 24:1-51). And for all we don't know about the end of the world, we can be very clear on a few things, such as:
1) Jesus will return before we get to destroy ourselves completely. There will definitely be at least some of us still around during the final events of planet Earth. (Check Revelation.)
2) When Jesus returns things will happen fast, and no one will be able to stop the events that unfold. (2 Peter 3:10 for example.)
3) No one knows when this will happen. (See Matthew 24:36 again.)
4) God is in control of all of the events of now and then. Not us. (Read James 4:13-16 for just a taste of that.)
Now I happen to be a pretty hardcore environmentalist. I do believe that, alarms or no alarms, each individual is called to take care of their portion of the planet, especially if you're a Christian (more on that in blogs future... if I get to write them). But I also take to heart the fact that we are not in control of this planet, or of other people. We need to find the true balance between doing what we've been called to do and realizing He really is in control.
We may be a literal 5 minutes from the end as you read this. Or maybe it's 5 years, or 5 millenia. We just don't know. Whatever time we as individuals, and human history in general, have left, that's time to get to know your Creator. Allow me to introduce you.
And Christian, remember, we have no spirit of fear. Look ahead to the day of your redemption and live now for the glory of God—even if it is only for the next 5 minutes.
• Read all related posts.
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