Gourds and God

Last week a friend and I, while on a long bus ride, visited the topic of decorative gourds–a common sight this time of year.

Somehow we ventured into whether it is possible and/or prudent to cook and eat them.  Were they cook-able?  Were they edible?  What do they look like inside?  What do they taste like?  We didn’t have a clue.  We even asked another friend close-by what she knew–not more than we.  Bouncing along side by side sharing a school bus seat, we sat in gourd ignorance…competent, middle-aged Minnesotan women who grew up with gourds every fall but never knew them more intimately than their lovely decorative features.  It was sad, but not without hope.

On my way home from our bus ride, I stopped at the local veggie stand and bought a couple (see pic above).  I had to make sure I didn’t buy look-alikes like the miniature pumpkins or one of the varieties of miniature squash.  Around to the back of the stand I found them, good ole gourds. 

Tonight the house is empty, just me and the pets, so I determined this was my moment, my glorious gourd unveiling moment.  I grabbed our brand new super sharp knife and cutting board (bought just this past summer from a friend selling knives)

and set to cut them in half, like I prepare squash.  To my chagrin, I could barely get the knife point in the beast much less cut it in two.  The shell was rock hard, carving a pumpkin is infinitely easier.  I wasn’t going to let it totally win, though, so with a significant amount of effort, I beheaded it. Bwahahahaha!!

After exercising a similar fate on its yellow fellowmate, I topped a foil laden pan with my prizes and let my 350 degree oven take over.

I set the time for 60 minutes, grateful that in an hour’s time I’d know answers to decorative gourd mysteries…

What was I going to do for an hour, though?  Upon exiting the house, Rich (my husband) had commented that I wreaked of a bonfire (we burned today).  So I figured a quiet, cleansing, contemplative bath would help ease his pain.  I drew the water, turned off the light, lit a candle and entered a long soaker.

Well along into the watery luxury terror struck!  My pruned fingers grabbed the edge of the tub while thoughts raced through my head:  “What if I was supposed to poke those gourds?!  What if they’re like potatoes and explode all over the oven if they don’t get poked, if there is no place for steam to escape?!”  My contemplative soaker was turning on me.  All I could imagine was gourd plastered all over the inside of my oven! 

I sat for a moment while waves of horror passed through me.  Then my brain began show up and usher in some logic to the situation: What should I do?  Should I extricate myself from the tub and run dripping to the oven with a sharp knife, do the deed (a sort of reversal of Psycho’s shower scene), and then drip back to the tub?  Should I cut short the bath and let the gourd win?  Should I stay submerged and let the chips fall where they may (for all I knew the gourds had already burst, it was too late)?  Then I had a Spirit inspired thought:  “Hey, maybe I should ask God what to do.”  So, I prayed and think I heard Him whisper to my spirit ”I am God of the gourd”, which I interpreted as Him saying “I’ve got you covered.  Stay put and pray.”  Well, sounded good to me although it required a leap of faith that no matter the condition of the gourds or my oven at the end of the hour that it was as God would have it.  So, stay and pray I did.  It was a lovely time–connecting with God is like that.

After a time, the phone rang, disturbing my soaking silence.  Too many “what if that is ’so and so’?” ran through my head.  I let it ring through to voicemail and heard the signal that a message had been left. So, out of the bath I arose and into pj’s I poured.  The timing was perfect as by the time I got to the kitchen only 6 minutes remained of the arbitrarily chosen 60 minutes.  (The phone call was St Olaf for Emily…I worried needlessly, which seems to  be a theme in my life!)

Fresh and clean I edged toward the oven with trepidation.  “What ifs?” ran through me.  A night of scouring the oven flashed before my eyes.  I wondered if the cooked squash scent tickling my nose was just a cruel teaser–that I’d not taste gourd this night, just know it in baked-on form.  I knew there was only one way to find out, so I boldly opened the oven door while recalling the divine “I am God of the gourd.” declaration.

Sorry for the dark pic, but as you can see, they are intact.  No explosion happened (insert Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus here)!
I cut them open pretty easily (for the skin must soften during cooking) and here is what a decorative gourd looks like on the inside:

I scooped out the seeds and went for a taste.  Not too alarming…these gourds tasted very much like squash.  My lucky night as I love squash, especially with butter and brown sugar topping.  Filled those buggers with the duo and popped them back into the oven for a few minutes of melting.  Out they came, looking quite scrumptious, if I do say so myself (note the decorative touch at the top of the plate…they ARE decorative gourds, afterall).

Although I ingested more butter and sugar than gourd (these gourds didn’t have much flesh for feasting), I found the treat quite tasty. 

Now, back to whether I should have poked them or if they were ok without, I do not know.  I know next time (will there be a next time??!!) I’ll definitely try to stab them before visiting the oven.   I wonder, though, did  the God of the gourd intervene on my behalf and spare me oven scouring?  Did He preserve these darlings so I could taste His creation, so I could know just a smidgen more about what He has provided for humankind?  I don’t know and I may never know…but I am grateful He cared enough to come and calm my fears so I could keep on soaking and praying…

What Do You Smell Like?

Breezy and beautiful today…so breezy that farm odors are wafting our way.  We live in farm country but don’t live particularly close to a farm, yet when the wind blows through cow pastures, barn yards and freshly harvested fields, we get a nose full of that signature dairy farm smell. 

In Hebrew and Greek “spirit” means breath or wind…so when we read about the Holy Spirit in Scripture, we’re literally reading Holy “Wind” or Holy “Breath” or better yet God’s “Breath” which is the Holy “Wind”.  (If we sidle this up to the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is a Person, a member of the Trinity, things get a little fuzzy for me.  But I’m no theologian, so I’m gonna leave this one alone.)

God breathes Life, God breathes His Spirit, God directs His Spirit to breeze to us, through us, to others. Like a dairy farm on a breezy day, His Holy Wind blows through us and scents the spiritual landscape.  What does His Spirit encounter? What scents does He find on His way through?  What odor do our neighbors smell?  How about those at the edge of the spiritual landscape, those who sit on the fence and wonder about God?  What do they sense wafting their way during a breezy day through you or me? 

Right now it feels like God is present with me, but I’m not sensing His Wind a-breezing through me.  Stillness and patience seem to be the order of the day…I am trying to stay put and wait for His Holy Wind to come in power and wisdom and spotlight the next step.  I’m thinking I must be pretty smelly, that He is being merciful by not breezing through and polluting populations of souls.  Hmmm…maybe He is deodorizing this stinky soul so that when He does blow through, others will smell His aroma instead of me and my sinful stench.  Now that is a happy nose thought…if so, go God!

Silence and Space

with and safe
silence centers, space grounds…

lonely and vulnerable
silence scares, space sends spiraling…

is God here and holding?

Shadows…

Shadows.  It’s a weekend of shadows… 

A few days ago I ran late in the afternoon, a time when the sun was making its descent toward the horizon.  The breeze was cool but not too cool, the air teemed with autumn scent and the colors were rich in golden tint.  I loped lazily and happily, reflecting on the beauty around me.  Then I saw it.  Before me was my shadow.  With the sun at my back it stretched long, strong and dark before me.  I didn’t like it, I wanted it gone.  It reminded me too much of my spiritual shadows, of the places inside where I block His Light with my own ’stuff’, my sin, the places that cast darkness into the world. 

Plopping one foot in front of the other and gazing into this dark figure preceding me, I wondered what it would take for the bugger to leave.  The answers that came were simple:

1: no shining sun would do it
2. no me would do it
3. moving into dark shadows would do it
4. a transparent me would do it
5. if light permeated my body, that would do it 

Spiritually speaking, the first is impossible (Jesus is the light of the world [John 8:12] and He ain’t going anywhere); the second isn’t possible for He created me, I exist eternally; the third is possible but not desirable…moving into darkness is never a life-giving option, besides it is hard to see in there, feels icky and is pretty darn scary;  the transparent option denotes (in my mind) integrity and clearness of being, which is very cool…to think that His light shines through those who walk in light and are righteous jives well with what I see in those engaged in clean living–their countenances shine, they glisten.  What I’ve witnessed, though, among righteous souls (of all religions or no religion) is that although they walk in light and light shines through them, paradoxically they carry a substantial, sometimes hard to see, shadow.  Like the Pharisees, they live well outwardly yet actively harbor dark desires and emotions. The last one, though, calls to me.  It has to do with Light shining from within, becoming a being of Light, like the sun/like the Son.  Since Jesus is the only giver of Light, then He is the generator of the Light that resides within and emanates without among those who invite Him in, who surrender to His purifying presence, a presence that cleanses one’s being as well as one’s doing.  He redeems us from all forms of darkness and imbues us with His Light, hence we not only dwell in the Light, the Light dwells in us…so much so that we shine like the sun/Son; our shadow loses ground; our eyes, the windows to inner being, emit light; we become beings of Light in a dark, shadowy world…

This Halloween, when long, dark shadows extend and scream victory, may we remember that Jesus, because we say ‘yes’ to Him, blasts through us, dispelling our shadow and brings light to others, for Jesus says:

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light. (Luke 11: 34-36)

Jesus on Facebook?

Our daughter, Emily, sang a solo at the high school choir concert last night (she’s the big smile in the middle) and she was amazing!!  Bravo Em!  I took a video of the performance and posted it on my facebook page….which got me thinking…

What if Jesus had a facebook page? 

Would everyone on the planet would be invited to be His friend? Yeah, do think so.  But, just like facebook, it is safe to say that only those who agreed to the friendship would be His friend, would be able to leave messages on His wall, comment on His photos, “like” His status updates. Likewise, He would have the go ahead to live chat with His friends, comment on their posts and send invites to join His causes/groups. 

Maybe facebook gives us a window into what friendship with Jesus is like…some would like to say He is friends with everyone.  I would say that He is only friends with those who accept His friendship offer, those who choose to watch His wall, view His videos, dig His info page and really interact with Him (make comment, send messages, chat it up).  Some would say friends of Jesus are in union with God, not casually linked (like facebook).  I would say healthy, life-giving friendships rarely start intimate and deep…usually it takes awhile to get to that point, so I think casual is good as long as it doesn’t linger there long.  Some would say we’re here to serve Him, not be His friend….I would say, “then why did He call us friend?”  (John 15:15).  Some would say, I’m being flippant about the Creator of the Universe.  I would say He’s both/and…He’s both Creator and Friend, just like He’s both King and Servant of all, just like He’s the Lion and the Lamb, etc.

Now, I kinda wish Jesus had a facebook page.  He is a real person, you know, He could have a page, He does qualify…then I could see who His friends are, who actually says ‘yes’ to His friend request.  I could see who interacts with Him regularly, who joins His causes, what they say to Him and how they say it and how He responds.  I could see the groups He joins and the groups He invites others to join.   I could see the videos and pictures He posts (would I ever be in one of those?) and the quizzes He takes (what color aura does Jesus have? which president is He most like? which theologian does He agree with?).  Would He be a farmer in FarmVille or every play others in Scramble?    I could see to whom He gives gifts and who gives gifts  to Him. I could enjoy joyful banter with the Big Guy and even chat a bit.  I could suggest others to be His friend and see how they respond.  So much fun, I do think it would be.  Yeah, wish Jesus had a facebook page…that would be cool!

Trowel Respite Welcome

Even though I wore gloves, dirt is under my nails.  High water overalls are mud caked at the knees and rear end.  Sweatshirt worn will never be seen in public again.  The grubby to begin with sneakers are now permanent residents of the garage. 

But…today I finished, today my flower garden received its final goodnight tuck.  Til spring I can look out the window without twinges of guilt.  No more can the neighbors point and voice neglect.  I’m free of weeds, dirt, invasive perennials and the plastic fairy who, at night, reads a pageless book by the glow of her lantern.  Good riddance all, I can wait to see you again.  Although, as I ponder, I think I’ll miss Miss Fairy, for she is such low maintenance…

I’ve tried hard to see God in the gargantuan garden that came with the home we bought five years ago now. With three ornamental trees, a pond and a circular winding path, it looks like someone scooped up a chunk of a horticultural park and planted it in our backyard.   Although the joys it doles out are refreshing, it affords me more headaches than heartwarming moments and the work is ongoing.  Winter is welcome, if only for trowel respite.  I know that sounds trite and hardly worth the snow and ice, but there it is.  The garden’s death season makes me smile…at least it does now. 

As I dig, rake and clip I should think about God and the wonders of His creation, I know, but small and dark entities find voice instead.  I resent that I work alone, that no other family members join in the chore.  I spit anger and frustration at poor defenseless hostas.  I whiz by the rosebush, despising its thorns, ignoring its blooms.  I dig the invasives and then dig again later…they have poor boundaries, how rude can they be!?  Why am I banished to this leafy hell, I wonder?  Does any beauty before me justify the coming days of muscle and back pain?  Is anything here worth hours of lonely, solitary labor? 

I may find a gardening friend next spring…someone who can help me see a garden’s beauty, someone who isn’t afraid to share a shovel and who appreciates the intricacies of dirt.  I don’t think I’ll ever see God in a plant, but I’m willing to try.  Yep, maybe that is why I descend to the garden year after year, to maybe catch a glimpse of God in His creation.  I think I need help, though…may God send help…

We Met in a Dream III

(Reynold Mainse, left; Ron Mainse, right)

Well, it seems interest is peaking again around the Mainse brothers, Reynold and Ron.  The two were linked with a Ponzi scheme back in May ‘09 and were taken off the air waves of 100 Huntley Street, a Canadian daily Christian talk show. 

Back in June, before I knew about any of this (much less that Canada even had a Christian talk show!) I had a dream about Reynold (see We Met in a Dream)…God had a message for me, so I’ve been loosely following the story and praying for Reynold and family. (follow-up posting at We Met in a Dream II)

With all the information I can find online, I see that the brothers have been cleared of all wrongdoing  and that 100 Huntley Street was never tainted with illegal funds (see Christian Week’s August article 100 Huntley Street hosts still lying low for more info).  Ron (Reynold’s brother) went on the air at 100 Huntley Street last week and spoke openly and frankly about the scheme (see 1st of 3 video segments here) and later in the week Ron and Ann (his wife) spoke jointly about their involvement (see 1st of 2 video segments here).  They have sought God during these difficult days, provided restitution and have walked through a restoration process.  The couple is back on the air.

Reynold hasn’t appeared, as of yet.  Maybe he is in the restoration process still, or maybe he has opted out of 100 Huntley.  I have no information as to whether he and/or his wife, Kathy, will appear on the show ever again.  Evidently, they are actively involved in a different ministry (Heaven’s Rehearsal).

Anyway, as I release this story to the air waves, I lift a prayer:

Dear Jesus, please bring hope, healing and restoration to Reynold & Kathy, Ron & Ann.  Lift them from the places that pull them down, strengthen them to do Your Will, give them peace and hope for tomorrow.  Guide their feet, guide their hearts, may they know You better because…may forgiveness be extended to the one they trusted, may a new Day dawn from the depths of this great Night.  Lift Brothers and Sisters to pray and uphold…bless their labors and multiply their efforts so that more may know You, more may see You, more may love You…forever we adore You.  Amen.

Christian Gossips

Christian gossips…seems like an oxymoron, right?  I mean, Christianity and rumors should be mutually exclusive…one void of the other.  We all know it ain’t true, we all know Christians aren’t perfect.  Yet…there are those Bible verses that speak frankly and sternly:

A depraved mind is described in Romans 1: ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, [emphasis added] God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Jeepers, gossiping (which invariably involves slander) is tucked in with some biggie sins:  murder, malice, insolence, arrogance, heartlessness, ruthlessness, etc.  I think we can safely assert that gossiping does more harm than we realize and is not God approved or Christ-like (yeah, Jesus never gossiped)…

Here are some tart Proverbs:

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. (11:13)

A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. (16:28)

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts. (18:8 and 26:22)

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. (20:19)

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. (26:20)

Earlier today I read an article about all those rumor speckled emails that buzz around asking you to “sign this” or ”contact your representative/senator about that”.  They misinform, deceive, libel and leave the reader either in a huff, ready for action (which usually means forwarding it on) or shaking his/her head while hitting the delete key.  The ones I tend to get forwarded to me often include names like James Dobson, Madalyn O’Hair, Barack Obama and other noteworthy Democrats (I’m sure an active rumor mill hung around George Bush too, I just never got those emails).  Maybe you’ve pocketed a few in your day, maybe you’ve even forwarded them on without checking their validity (Snopes.com is a good place to check such assertions).   

I highly recommend reading the article:  What does Internet rumor-mongering say about our faith?  It is a kinda long and a bit slow at first, but gets better as it goes.  Addressed issues include: why we gossip; Christian gullibility; gossiping and fear; conspiracy theories; Christian response; Christian spiritual maturity. 

Eyeballing gossip is like eyeballing any other sin…rather uncomfortable, but then we don’t grow unless we face our demons with Jesus as our Guide and Protector.

The Balloon Boy Within

In a box in the garage’s attic.  A six year old boy emerged from a box in the attic of his garage yesterday after hours had been spent searching for him (CNN story here and here).  There were reports that he was in a floating oversized weather balloon that had been released from his backyard.  There were reports that he was in a box attached to the bottom of this balloon–a box that had fallen off in flight.  The Colorado Air National Guard deployed helicopters, flights were halted at Denver International Airport for a bit, rescue efforts were immense.  Hours of live coverage of this balloon flying through mid air captured the hearts of a watching and praying world–we were all hoping that he was okay.  After two full searches of the property, he emerged from his hiding place and presented himself to the family.  He was in trouble and he knew it, so he hid and remained hidden until he was ready to face the music.

Of course, he and his family have been splashed all over the media and now there is speculation that it was all a publicity stunt.  I tend to give the six year old and his family the benefit of the doubt.  He pulled a naughty and ran and hid–no publicity stunt.  I might be wrong…we may never know for sure.

Anyway, his stunt of hiding, even though he must have heard his name called a bajillion times, is something I think we can all relate to.  Not only have we all been six year olds who’ve overstepped a boundary we knew we would be in trouble for, our older selves have been guilty of hiding when we’ve overstepped and caused a mess. We may not crawl in a box in the attic, but we may deny it or minimize it or try to cover it up or transfer blame or leave a relationship or quit a job or move to a new church or even relocate.  We simply don’t want to emerge and face the music, we don’t want to claim responsibility or ask for forgiveness, we don’t want to live with the consequences.  Instead, like our six year old self, we find what feels like a safe hiding place and stay put for as long as we can, hoping to never be found out, hoping it will all just go away.

Eventually, though, our deeds find us…even follow us.  We may never be found out, we may get away with it in this life, but if we have a conscience, it haunts us.  Even if society says it is OK, no big deal, we know we’ve blown it, we know we’ve entered a dark shadowy place and stopped our ears to our heavenly Father who is screaming our name. 

I confess I’ve been there, done that.  Several years ago, during a sleet storm, I drove into a parking lot to turn around and hit a slick spot that sent me careening into a large shrub.  As I turned the wheel and hit the brake I realized nothing I could do would change the trajectory of the car…the ice was king that night.  I could tell, as I was nose-diving into the shrub, that the shrub had been hit before…that I wasn’t the only one who’d lived this nightmare.  After slamming into it I pulled away, saw that the business that owned the parking lot was closed for the evening, and proceeded to drive away…no note for the owner at the door, no nothing.  I simply drove away.  I got away with it.

But, it haunted me.  For too long I brooded, then I asked God to forgive me and tried to receive His forgiveness without seeking the forgiveness of the business owner or providing restitution.  I sought vertical forgiveness without seeking horizontal forgiveness.  For awhile I felt OK, but it never went away and guilt would descend on me in waves–God kept calling me out of hiding.  I knew I had to emerge and deal with it–the box in the attic gig was losing its charm, was becoming a pain filled abode and was keeping me from living fully in His light.  So, two years after the shrub slam I mustered an apologetic email to the owner and offered to help  provide restitution for the damage done.  Know what?  Her response email was most gracious and proceeded to let me know that at the time of my bush bash the shrub was slotted for removal and that my car slamming into it had helped loosen it…my violent intersection with her shrubbery had actually been helpful and had saved her time and effort.  While reading the response I about fell over…then I laughed at the pure irony of it all and at myself for having waited so long to fess up.  Not only had I been forgiven, I had been helpful.  My fear and hiding had created my own miserable prison, I only needed to come out and receive forgiveness and grace.

Granted, not all oversteps result in such a happy ending, yet in seeking forgiveness and in offering restitution we step into the Light, no matter what the consequences/aftermath.  In seeking horizontal forgiveness, we become able to receive vertical forgiveness, God’s forgiveness.  Nothing is sweeter than being able to receive forgiveness, nothing generates more Light, Hope and Joy in this world than God’s forgiveness.  Jesus gave all so that we might be forgiven and reconciled with God.

That little boy had scads of people hunting for him, praying for him, yelling his name.  God does the same with us…often He’ll send someone to us to call us out of hiding, someone who sees and knows, someone who cares enough to say it out loud and offer a hand of help.  We may hear judgement or condemnation, but if they are there to help then we’re not seeing it quite right…judgemental, condemning sorts don’t offer help, they just like to point fingers to feel better about themselves.  The souls He sends our way care, pray and, along with His Voice, call us out of hiding.  The little boy eventually emerged, will you?

(Contemplative prayer update: been praying more–went to a Taize service on Tuesday that really helped open me up prayer-wise.  Prayer is more ongoing now and oh, so sweet. )

Climate Change

Today is the annual Blog Action Day–a day where bloggers from all over the blogosphere are challenged to blog about climate change.  I’ve registered to take part at http://www.blogactionday.org/, so here I go. (CNN even has an article on this cyber event: Bloggers Unite on Climate Change).  Since I focus on things spiritual, this post will not sound like a run of the mill sociopolitical cry…

I’m going to assert that pollution (that leads to climate change) is a physical manifestation of spiritual pollution.  Spiritual pollution is, quite simply sin….missing the mark.  Whenever we deviate from having God as the center of our life, as the One we love most, we veer off and erect something or someone else in His place as a way to feel safe.  Whenever we do that, we create spiritual pollution which makes it hard for us to see, to know what is pleasing to God and lifegiving to others and to the earth.  We lose harmony with God, with each other and with the planet and all become difficult to maneuver/manage.  Unwittingly our spiritual smoke stack fosters fear (for we cannot see) so we erect various sorts of physical smoke stacks to secure our own wellbeing (think industry, technology, ubanization).  Once we eventually see a smokey problem of our own making (i.e. climate change) we then kick into high control mode to fix it (which is probably what climate change world leader summits are all about: control it, fix it). 

Biblically, we catch a glimpse of this in the Creation story (first 3 chapters of Genesis).  In a nutshell, the story goes like this: God creates absolutely every spiritual and physical reality (yay God!)…He sets up the Garden of Eden for Adam & Eve–a place where there is perpetual harmony with God, with each other and with all of nature (animals too).  At this point, sin hasn’t entered the picture yet: no shame, no fear, no self-awareness, no disunity.  Then, after Adam and Eve succumb to temptation and sin by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (something they are forbidden by God to do) all hell breaks loose.  The parents of the human race are suddenly out of sync with God and each other: they hide from God and are ashamed of their nakedness (which means they probably hid from each other until they sewed fig leaves to cover up).  God drops in, sees their sin and extends mercy–He doesn’t let them die physically (although, as a consequence of their sin, they have died spiritually) as He initially decreed would happen at mere touching of the Tree.  God properly clothes them and sends them out of Eden with these consequences:

to Eve (and to all of us who carry the XX chromosome) God says:
“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
       with pain you will give birth to children.
       Your desire will be for your husband,
       and he will rule over you.” 

to Adam (and all men) God says:
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
       through painful toil you will eat of it
       all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
       and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
       you will eat your food
       until you return to the ground,
       since from it you were taken;
       for dust you are
       and to dust you will return.”

To boot, God says to the serpent (who was Satan in disguise and was the one who deceived Eve so that she might eat of the fruit):
And I will put enmity
       between you and the woman,
       and between your offspring and hers;
       he will crush your head,
       and you will strike his heel.”

So…do you see it?  As a consequence of sin there is now physical, spiritual and relational struggles.  The woman now labors hard with childbearing and with her relationship with her husband (by desire for her husband, I take it to mean that she puts her husband above God in her life; that putting God first, before her husband would be a struggle).  The man now toils painfully and by the sweat of his brow to put food on the table and must take responsibility for the wellbeing his families…no more Edenic free lunch.  The ground is cursed because of sin, harmony with nature is severed.  Also, now Satan is at war with all of humankind (“enmity between you” and all offspring): not only is there separation from harmonic living with God, there is war with Satan…

OK, there is the creation story, but what does that have to do with global warming?  Well, maybe as more and more people turn from God or deny God or follow another god the more polluted the planet is, not just spiritually, but physically.  Our disharmony with nature, each other and with God manifests itself in us working to secure our own way in this world, which creates blighted landscapes, melting ice caps and shifting climate zones. 

Through Christ the curse is lifted.  By taking Christ as one’s Savior, surrendering our lives to Him and making Him the center of our universe, the power of sin is conquered.  We begin to walk as Jesus walked: in harmony with God, in harmony with others who can see, in harmony with nature.  The pollution of our lives begins to lift and we start to see and know…We begin to see others around us as He sees them–precious and in need of fresh air.  We begin to see nature in new ways: not as a means to an end, but as He sees it–beautiful and bountiful.  We fight Satan but with the power of the Holy Spirit and alongside Jesus–we’re eternally safe, fear doesn’t hold sway.  Husbands and wives start to live as companions with God as their center–ruling over and desiring are properly placed.  Children are born with pain but also with joy, for new life is a gift from heaven.

We can try to fix the climate change/the planet from external effort but until our hearts turn to Jesus, I think we’re wasting our time.  The earth echoes our dark hearts and until they are transformed by the power of Christ the climate will change, the planet will heave and quake.  May God have mercy. Yes, may God have mercy…