Is God Green?

Go green.

It seems like everytime I turn on the television, get on the internet, or drive past a billboard on the highway, the message to go green is everywhere. Today is Earth Day, a day to bring awareness on how to be environmentally friendly to our earth.

I was shopping the other day and noticed there are even cute handbags and t-shirts promoting the 'go green' message. Green is hip. Celebrities, corporate companies, and cities have all gone green.

As I see green everywhere I couldn't help but to wonder one question: Is God green?

What does the Bible say about this 'go green' message? What is God's position on the green campaign? What should be the Christian response to the environment.

I believe that not only is God green, but He's always been green! He was green when green wasn't in! Scripture reveals this truth. First, I believe the Lord cares about the Earth because He took the time to create it! God could have created it in one blink of an eye, but He took His time creating the Earth (6 days), taking into account every detail. Read below for just a glimpse of this creation in Genesis 1:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water....God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” It was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the cattle according to their kinds, and all the creatures that creep along the ground according to their kinds. God saw that it was good."

I love the last part, God saw that it was good. He was pleased with His creation and took pleasure in His creation. We too should look at the earth and see it as the Lord saw it for the first time. Whenever I look at the massness of the ocean or huge mountains I know I am always taken back and amazed at God's creation. How did He do it? I am not sure, but I do know that it was good!

Because we see that God is green, then Christians should be green too! It's not a matter of your political persuasion, it's your Christian duty. In fact, this was the first commandment given by God in the Garden to both Adam and Eve. I believe it is applicable for us today. Take a look:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” Gen. 1:28

God blessed them and then commanded them to subdue the earth and to rule over the creatures. This was not only a commandment, but it was their job. What a big responsibility too. God who took the time to create the earth allowed mankind to be His vice-regents, or representatives to take care of the earth. Unfortunatley, we have not always done a good job of taking care of the earth.

The reality is, this earth is passing away. This position is not popular, but the Word of God describes to us that because of the fall of man and the advent of sin, the earth experiences the ramifications of sin as well. There will come a day though, when Jesus will come back and create a new heaven and a new earth! It will be then that the earth will no longer moan.

In the meantime, let's not be so heavenly minded we are no earthly good!

Go green because God is green, not because it's the hip thing to do. Do what you can to conserve the beauty of God's creation. Happy Earth Day!