As I preached yesterday, the story of creation in Genesis offers direct wisdom for how we might respond to the climate crisis today. God sets clear boundaries in the garden—limits that nurture life and sustain balance. When humanity ignores these limits, we see the first fracture in creation’s harmony. This ancient narrative reveals a timeless truth: God’s world thrives when humans respect the boundaries woven into creation.
Today, as we face the reality of climate change, these limits are more urgent than ever. As environmental activist and author Naomi Klein observes, “What the climate needs to avoid collapse is a contraction in humanity’s use of resources; what our economic model demands to avoid collapse is unfettered expansion. Only one of these sets of rules can be changed, and it’s not the laws of nature.”[1] The climate crisis is, at its core, a spiritual crisis of not recognizing the limits of creation and overstepping the boundaries God established to sustain life.
In a world that promotes limitless growth and consumption, creation’s story calls us to a different way of being. It invites us to live more simply, consume less, and restore balance. We can choose practices that honor the earth—reducing waste, conserving energy, and advocating for policies that protect the planet. As we face this challenge together, may we remember that God’s story offers a vision of life within limits, where humanity and creation flourish in harmony with God’s order.
May God’s peace find you today. -Pastor Peter
Let’s pray… God of Creation, help us honor the limits you’ve set, guiding us to live sustainably and care for the earth in the face of climate change. Amen.
[1] Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014), 99.