Pastor’s Podium

Bill McKibben, an important American environmentalist, is coming to Salina to address how the hotter summers and more intense and frequent storms are threatening our Midwestern livelihoods. He will address challenges to the security of our food production and whether we can sustain the agricultural economy of our state.

Of course I am concerned for our whole nation. Imelda drenched east Texas with overwhelming rain and devastating floods. Hurricane Dorian destroyed much of the Bahamas and still had power to do damage along the East Coast. The Missouri River is set for a third round of flooding. October through December is expected to have the greatest fire potential in the West Coast as the Santa Ana winds pick up.

Science and lived experience has convinced 70 percent of Americans that global warming is happening. That number is growing according to several Yale-George Mason polls.

Greta Thunberg, the teenaged climate activist from Sweden got a more receptive audience than perhaps she expected as she spoke to our government leaders. This week she addresses the UN. Using her youthful words and the facts of the UN’s own research she pushes for world action to address the causes and effects of climate change while something can still be done.

Here is a quote from her: “Adults keep saying we owe it to the young people, to give them hope, but I don’t want your hope. I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.”

The rising heat may be being met with rising despair by many. Panic may move some to action. But the Spirit empowers Christians to take action to protect and restore God’s creation with hope in God, faithfulness to Christ and biblically inspired wisdom.

Instead of despairing, we face this globe-wide challenge with hope in God who created this world and owns it. God loves his creation and after the first flood promised to preserve it. God made a covenant to preserve his people too. Out of love for all the world and to fulfill these promises, God sent Christ. Christ secures our lives, now and in the future, with His love. Faithfully following Christ’s way is how we live life now. We believe that doing so will lead us to that good future that God has planned. Christians have been saved by Christ for service so we will continue to serve his purpose no matter how dire the circumstances seem because we know the good future we seek is in His control.

We will not let fear of this Goliathof-a-problem cause avoidance behavior, denial and inaction. We will not succumb to evil that revels in the destruction and devastation and labels it God’s will. We will not be so greedy or selfish that we take comfort that other people will bear the brunt of the effects of a changing climate while we just adjust our thermostats.

We won’t think we are more deserving as we dig deeper into our wallets to pay more for a limited food supply while others will not be able to afford or even have access to food and water in the future. The same Spirit that was in Christ was given to empower us to lovingly serve God and love others as equal to ourselves. We equally share the gifts of our One God.

Christians are going to be important agents in finding successful solutions because we are at the frontlines of the crises. We are there because that is where the weakest and most vulnerable people are. We are there to help and serve because that is how Jesus says we are to show our service to him.

This world-wide problem needs diverse solutions and resources to work together in harmony. Christians are going to be important agents in finding successful solutions because Christ tells us to be peacemaking unifiers.

Christians are going to be important agents in finding successful solutions because we don’t count the earthly cost. Others balk at sacrificing personal comfort, convenience and wealth but we serve God above all else. We trust God will provide. We step up to answer God’s call to faithful action on climate change to care for God’s creation.