We live in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains. It is a beautiful area of the country. Mountains. Trees. Blue skies. Creation is beautiful. God is good. And often we hear that God has created all of this for our enjoyment. But is that it? Is all of this just to make us happy? What is creation saying to us?
Scripture indicates that creation is more than just a passive pleasing sight for us to take in. The created order is actually making quite a bit of noise. Clapping, singing, shouting, praising and storytelling are just of few of the activities that the trees and forests and oceans are caught up in. And all of this activity has a greater purpose than just to please us. It all works together to bring glory to God. But there is a problem. The song of creation has changed over time. No longer is it this wonderful, beautiful song. The creation is crying out. Paul says in Romans that all of creation is groaning out in pain as if it were in childbirth. The song of creation is no longer a love song.
But the creation is not taking it lying down. The creation is lamenting. It is saying “God save me! I am not how I am supposed to be.” If you think Adam taking the fruit in the garden just affected our relationship with God, you have missed it. The creation feels the effect of the fall every bit as much as we do. It is suffering right along with us. It is wasting away right next to us. And it is seeking restoration as much as we are. It is crying out. Can you hear it?
Just as God heard the cry of the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt and acted, just as he heard the cry of his people in exile and restored them, just as he hears us crying out for forgiveness and brings his grace, God has heard the cry of creation and wants to see it restored. He’s reclaiming creation. He has entered into it and renewed his plans for the world. The day he sent Jesus into the world was the day restoration began—not just spiritual, but physical, complete, whole restoration.
Jesus is God’s way of refusing to give up on his dream for the world.
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus]. And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (col. 1:19-20)
In Jesus God is putting it all back together again.
The creation proclaims the glory of God. Yes, and we praise God for that. Creation also screams in pain as we abuse and rape it in our own selfishness. How can we praise God for creating the world all the while contribute to its destruction. How can we be attentive to the joyous sounds of nature without heading its agonizing cries? In short we cannot. Scripture testifies to God’s great power and beauty, but it also calls us to care for what God has made. Can you hear the song of creation? Can you respond to its lament?
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