One of the things I miss most about the very first lockdown is the daily walks. I remember watching the briefing where we were told that we would be allowed out for one piece of exercise each day. When the time for my walk came around it felt great – it was as if I was seeing the beauty of the outside again for the first time. I realised that I had often taken the outside world for granted. At what point did I become complacent in seeing the beauty of the world that God created?! Especially when we live in Scotland and there is beauty all around us.
The world is currently focussing on Glasgow – our wee city. You can’t go anywhere in Glasgow without seeing something related to COP26. I wonder if any of the dignitaries have been able to look around and see the beauty of our city. I wonder if they have taken a wander to Kelvingrove Park or to the Necropolis. Or maybe they can see the hills that surround our city from their hotel rooms. I wonder if they realise that the decisions they make just now will impact the years to come. I know I wouldn’t like to be making those decisions.
I have been struck by the countdown clock on the Tolbooth Steeple. Over the past few weeks I have gone by it and have seen the days falling. It signifies a deadline of when we need to lower carbon emissions before we see a negative effect on global warming and climate change. We are talking about irreversible change to the world the creator of all things created. The world left in our care as we tend to the land.
Now I am in no way saying I am an expert on this matter, far from it. This is not where my expertise lies. Nevertheless, it is a time when we all can learn. We can listen to the experts and decide what we can do to make an impact. We can ask questions to each other and of each other. We can seek God and look at his Word to see the beauty of the world that was created. We can make changes. I believe that as Christians we should be at the forefront of change and looking after what God created. We should not be taking this world for granted. I should not be taking this world for granted anymore. As I look towards the future, I want to still see the beauty of this world. I do not want us to have gone so far that we are living in time of irreversible damage. Along with those fighting for the earth, we should be taking responsibility for tending to God’s creation.
This world was created with beauty and as we read through Genesis 1, we see that God saw that it was good. The world is still good. We just need to play our part in protecting it. Genesis 1:1-2 reads
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
John 1:1-3 reads
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Through both of these scriptures, we see that God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus were all present at the start of the formation of the world. From a formless, empty and dark earth, the place we live was created. We should be inspired to protect his creation. The world is still good but we must play our part in doing what we can to not let the countdown clock reach the deadline. For now, ask the questions, make changes, and pray for wisdom for our leaders. They ultimately make the big decisions and we need them to make the right ones.
From a formless, empty, and dark earth, we get to live in the beauty of what the earth became. Let’s not take it for granted.
Elyse MacKinnon
Overnight Welcome Centre Manager
