“Show me your wings, Rio.”
“Yeah, okay. That wide enough? That”s how much of God’s creation is involved in Christ’s salvation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let me continue where I left off last week. I explained to you that I’m connected to all those squawking critters in the trees outside, and every bee you see gathering pollen functions in coordination with the larger organism called the hive, and all animals and plants are parts of God’s great miracle I call Life. I also showed you from the Bible that you’re not just an individual person; you’re attached in some mysterious way to all the humans who have ever lived.”
“Yeah, I see that. I don’t understand it, but I accept it, and it helps me have a better perspective on the meaning of my life.”
“OK, now here’s something you may not have thought about. You humans are different from the rest of Life, because God created you in his own image. That makes you very special, but don’t get all swelled up with pride. God made you in his image so you could take care of the rest of his creation, and you’re not doing a very good job. Go back and read about it in the first chapter of Genesis.”
“I know that God tells us to ‘have dominion’ over all the plants and animals, and I agree that we’ve messed that up pretty badly. But, when we get in harmony with God, with other people and with nature, we can really vibrate with all Life. The prophet Isaiah described the feeling this way: “the mountains and the hills before you burst into song, and all the trees of the field clap their hands.”*
“Yes, but Isaiah also reminds you that you bump into a lot of ‘thorns’ and ‘briers’ on your nature walks as well. That’s because there’s a process of renewal, or redemption, going on. You humans are at the center of it, because Jesus came as a human person to lift you guys out of your lostness and confusion. This salvation starts with you, but it doesn’t end with you. When you humans begin to get things right with God, all the rest of Life is lifted to a higher potential destiny.”
“Huh?”
“I found this in the Bible the other day. Read that right there, beginning with Romans 8:18. . . .”
“‘I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now.’ Labor pains? Sounds like this whole supermiracle you call Life is about to have a Baby.”
“Yes, and if you read further, you’ll see that Baby is Jesus Christ, who is described as ‘the firstborn within a large family.’ This ‘large family’ includes all of you human ‘children of God,’ as well as the ‘whole creation,’ redeemed and renewed. Which includes me, and my peeps, and the bees, and the flowers they pollinate, and every species on every branch of Life itself. YOW!!”
“Join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:8-10)
*Isaiah 55:12
“Rio, how wide is God’s love for his creation? Show me your wings. . . .”
