THINK ¢ Dennis Tan firmly believes that the Church can do more to care for creation. He one of the founders of Creation Care SG, an initiative that aims to equip fellow believers to care for creation by transforming their lives and churches. He worships at Sengkang MC.
Loving God by having less
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to
Jesus started that work on the cross through a sacrifice—are
dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all
we willing to make those sacrifices for His ministry too?
things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Col 1:19-20)
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Being a responsible steward of God’s resources requires us to give up many things that we are accustomed to. For instance, John Wesley tells us in his sermon on the use of money that we are to “save all we can” and reject indulgent lifestyles. Caring for creation also involves consuming
he story of Lent and the need for creation care are
less—food, clothing, materials—to reduce our impact on the
intricately intertwined. When God first created the
environment. By doing so, we minimise the clutter in our
world, He entrusted Adam and Eve with the stewardship
lives distracting us from God, and we can also give more to
of creation and to rule over the multitudes (Gen 2:15). Just
God’s ministry.
as they were created in God’s image, they were to rule as our King rules over all: justly, joyfully, compassionately and,
Believe me when I say that I don’t find it easy to make
most importantly, lovingly.
these choices. Every day, I struggle with giving up the little conveniences—washing one less cup by using disposables,
However, with the Fall came the breaking of our relationships
enjoying the car instead of public transport, not having to
both with God and the rest of creation. Our stewardship over
look silly balancing my groceries in my hands when I forget
creation has become a dictatorship. Humans have significantly
my reusable bag. But at those moments, I remember that
damaged God’s earth, abandoning His will for us to care for it.
when the devil offered Jesus a shortcut to the kingdoms of
And what is sin, if not going against God’s will?
the world, He didn’t take it (Matt 4:8–10). The Christian life is not straightforward. The road to Calvary was certainly not
Yet, just as we praise Jesus for His sacrifice that cleansed our
convenient.
sins and restored our relationship with God, so too should we praise Him for reconciling to Himself all things on earth and
And I think we can all rejoice that Jesus did not take the easy
in heaven (Col 1:20). As we remember Jesus’ sacrifice this
road. Instead, He made the ultimate sacrifice for the world
Lent, we remember His sacrifice for the whole of creation.
that He loves. When we make these sacrifices in our lives
When we start to right our relationship with the rest of God’s
to restore our relationship with the rest of creation, let us
creation, we are advancing Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation.
remember who we do it for: our loving Creator.
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
