The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”
 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.
The nations were angry,
  And your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
  and for rewarding your servants the prophets 
And your people who revere your name, both great and small—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” 
Revelation 11:15-18

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“If this is global warming, I think I love it!” my friend remarked.

In February, I was also happy that Chicagoland’s temperatures were in the 70s but chuckled because both of us had taught ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ for years in our classrooms. We also taught about how methane gasses are not good for our planet.

When I was an adolescent, my dad taught me that God expects us to take care of our world and not be a ‘litterbug.’ He obviously learned that in Boy Scouts. I found this humorous as he was an engineer who created and ensured safety equipment in coal plants—of all things—was in working order. Even back then, we knew coal polluted our air and strip mining harmed our habitat. I thought teasing him about his engineering job was funny. 

Exasperated, my dad would respond, “Well, girls, then grow up and do something that will help our world. I’m trying to make coal mines safer for people working in them.”

Genesis 2:15 says that God commanded the man (and woman) to work in the Garden of Eden and take care of it. At this point in scripture, ‘the garden’ was the world humans inhabited. He asked this, of course, before Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of Eden, but the point is that caring for God’s creation was part of God’s original plan. 

And yes, we haven’t followed that original plan exactly, have we?

Today’s passages say, “The time will come for rewarding your servants, the prophets, and your people who revere your name, both great and small, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” 

This is a call to action for all people of God to ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ and not be ‘Litterbugs.’ 

By the way, many things have happened within the coal industry. In the US, significant improvements have occurred since the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

My dad was involved in this act coming to pass. I am a Coal Miner’s daughter and proud of it. I feel God’s and my dad’s glance in heaven today, smiling. Someday, our Earth will be made new, but while we are here, we are to do our part to protect our land, sea, and skies. 

Next Steps

When you consider caring for the environment that God created, what are some ways you currently do so? Can you think of anything else you might need to consider? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. 

Read verses Revelation 11: 17–18 out loud as an act of worship and praise God for the ways He has shown His power in your life and for the ways He has blessed our world with good gifts and natural resources. When you’re done, take a listen to this beautiful song.