A prayer for creation

Read

‘The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’ (Psalm 19:1, NIV)

‘Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty…
How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures…
All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works.’ (Psalm 104: 1, 24, 27, 31, NIV)

‘The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.’ (Genesis 2:15, NIV)

‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.’ (Romans 8:19-21, NIV)

Think

The Bible teaches that God has given us a responsibility to care for this planet. We have failed. Our world is facing an environmental crisis, and it is important that all of us act in order to care for, serve, and protect this world. 

Take some time to think through these questions, and consider what steps you may need to take to better care for our planet: 

• What is your attitude towards the environment? Do you see caring for the planet as part of your Christian duty? Why, or why not? 
• Are you aware of the impact your habits and lifestyle have upon the environment? What steps might you want to take in order to become better informed?
• What positive steps will you take to cut down on waste, reduce your carbon footprint, and develop new habits that will make a positive difference? 

Speak

Creator God,
Thank you for this world, our home:
A beautiful, complex, diverse place,
Each piece of which reflects your love.

We join with all creation –
The sun, moon and stars,
Creatures of the land, sea and sky,
Plants, vegetation,
And the earth from which you moulded us –
And we declare your goodness and glory. 

Forgive us for our failure to care for this planet.
We grieve the scars we have inflicted,
Through our selfishness,
Thoughtlessness,
Arrogance,
And greed. 

As we await the healing of creation,
Would you empower us,
As those who bear your image,
To protect and care for all you have made. 

Amen 

Share

This week, have a conversation with friends from church or your Connect Group and consider the ways in which you can care for the planet together. There may be new habits you can inspire one another to adopt, or particular ways you can serve your local community, for example litter-picking, reducing waste in your service or connect group, or serving in a community garden project.

A great place to start may be just to take a walk together around your local neighbourhood, noticing and celebrating the beauty around you, and allowing that wonder at Creation to inspire you to care for it better. 

For more ideas and recommended resources, visit our Environment page or listen to this talk by Liam Thatcher on Peace with Creation.