Gratitude on Earth Day 爱护与感恩

[Dexu Xia]

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

Earth Day is an annual event observed on April 22. In recent years, more than one billion people in about two hundred countries have taken part in educational and service activities. Each year, Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of caring for our amazing planet. But the mandate to care for the environment is far older than this annual event—it goes all the way back to creation.

In Genesis, we learn that God created the entire universe and formed the earth as a place for humans to dwell. Not only did He fashion the mountain peaks and lush plains, God also created the garden of Eden, a beautiful place providing food, shelter, and beauty for its inhabitants (Genesis 2:8–9).

After breathing life into His most important creation, humans, God placed them in this garden (vv. 8, 22) and gave them the responsibility “to work it and take care of it” (v. 15). After Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, caring for God’s creation became more difficult (3:17–19), but to this day God Himself cares for our planet and its creatures (Psalm 65:9–13) and asks us to do the same (Proverbs 12:10).

Whether we live in crowded cities or rural areas, we all have ways we can care for the areas God has entrusted to us. And as we tend the earth, may it be an act of gratitude to Him for this beautiful planet.

What part of creation takes your breath away? How might you care for the part of the earth God has entrusted to you?

Creator God, You’ve entrusted to us a marvelous planet that sustains and astonishes me. Please help me to respond to Your gift by caring for it as a way to express thankfulness for Your provision.

 耶和华上帝将那人安置在伊甸园，使他修理看守。—创世记2章15节

每年的4月22日是世界地球日，是一项世界性的环境保护活动。近年来，约有200个国家超过10亿人参与相关的教育和服务活动。每年的世界地球日都提醒我们，要爱护我们这个奇妙的星球。其实，爱护地球的使命比这一年一度的活动更源远悠长，甚至可以追溯到创造之初。

在创世记中，我们看到上帝创造了整个宇宙，并创造地球作为人类居住的地方。上帝不仅造了山峰和平原，还造了美丽的伊甸园，为所造的人类提供食物、住所和美景（创世记2章8-9节）。

人类是上帝最重要的创造物，上帝在赐给他们生命气息之后，就将他们安置在伊甸园中（8、22节），且让人类负责“修理看守”（15节）。亚当和夏娃被逐出伊甸园后，照顾上帝的受造物变得更加困难（3章17-19节），但至今上帝仍亲自看顾这个星球及其中的受造物（诗篇65篇9-13节），而且祂也要我们同样如此行（箴言12章10节）。

无论我们是住在拥挤的城市还是农村地区，我们都有办法照顾上帝托付给我们的地区。愿我们爱护这美丽的星球，以此向上帝表达感谢。

在上帝创造的万物中，有什么会让你叹为观止？
上帝已将某些地区托付给你，
你要如何爱护管理呢？

上帝，祢创造万物，
将一个奇妙的星球托付我们，使我得以生存，
也让我惊叹。请帮助我以爱护地球
来感谢祢的供应，并以此回应祢所赐的恩典。