Sabbath Devotional :: Earth Day Perspectives
“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.” (Job 12:7-8)
Has the Earth “taught thee”? Has God spoken to you through His creations? How about sunsets? The lull of a river, the crash of waves? The majesty of mountains, the drama of a thunderstorm? The intricacy of a flower, the melody of birdsong?
In tumultuous periods, I seek refuge in the natural world. Even day to day, I need regular, restorative outdoor experiences (and I think we all do).
In the days following the 2016 election, the best therapy I found was outdoors. I hiked the pine shrouded, sun dappled path of a favorite backyard trail, my baby on my back. My lungs breathed the fall mountain air, my legs felt the pull of the incline, my heart beat with the work, and my mind began to clear a bit. After making the summit of the sub-peak, I had a clear view of the valley below and blue skies above. I felt like my world was being shaken like a snow globe with pieces settling askance and upended, but here, the mountains were firm, the trees stalwart, and forest life followed regular rhythms.
Elder Stephen L. Richards (member of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency during the 1950’s) said of his time outdoors, “I feel reconciled with life. The broken harmonies are mended. My soul is calmed.”
I didn’t feel quite reconciled with life, but could identify some calming of soul, and I felt that I could go on. (Somehow I made it through the next few months until MWEG saved the day.)
The paradox of the Earth (and the universe) is that its glory, its majesty, its complexity was organized by a Creator so omniscient as to know the laws to bring it to fruition and with a detailed knowledge of atomic structure, molecular makeup, and geological and evolutionary processes and time frames, but yet this Creator is aware of me. The Earth and its creative components helps me know my place in this world. I am simultaneously reassured of my value and humbled by my standing.
As we recognize Earth Day, let us remember our responsibility and stewardship to each piece of Creation — the earth, its cycles and patterns. Elder Richards also admonished, “Do you think it becoming in God’s children to deface the earth while we sojourn here? Being the stewards and custodians of the resources which are committed to us, have we not an obligation to use them, preserve them and return them in the best possible condition that our circumstances will permit?”
My post-election stress was heightened by fears for my children’s’ future and the condition of this one precious Earth that they will inherit. They need the space and opportunity to interact with God’s creation. This is my great motivator for focusing on environmental issues.
Environmental issues are both broad and acute — we can work to protect resources within our individual spheres, and broader policies and institutional change are needed to ensure positive impact. Our Committee members hope the environmental focused posts help guide your awareness and effect action. I also hope you find meaningful communion. That November day, despite it all, I could testify with Alma, “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it.”
Amber Spackman Jones is a member of the environmental affairs committee at Mormon Women for Ethical Government.
