Care for Creation & Confession - Day 9

Connecting care for creation to sabbath is rooted in the first creation story found in Genesis. After six days of creating goodness, pausing after each creation to speak of the goodness of creation, God finished. Instead of working, God rested and blessed the seventh day. God gives an entire day for holy-making and blessing.

And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:2-3

In the second creation story in Genesis chapter 2, we aren't given the same linear storytelling with each day of creation building upon the earlier days. Instead, we are given a scene. We are given a physical relationship between God and creation. Where is sabbath in this story? I can't help but wonder if sabbath blessing is found in God's footsteps as God walks through creation, enjoying it, connecting with it. The God of this creation story is physically planting trees, breathing into mounds of dust, to create life. Adam and Eve are created to be partners with God and each other, working side by side to care for creation. There's something about this Eden scene that shows sabbath as a state of being, a life perspective, rather than a focus on time.

The beauty of Genesis is that both stories are held together. We are given clues to God's purpose for creation, our understanding of ourselves, and the ways we relate to the world through both of these stories. We may relate to one story more than another, but by keeping them beside each other, they shed new light on our understanding of creation. This leads into our personal understandings of sabbath and the ways we can honor sabbath in our lives.

For some, dedicating a day to the Sabbath fits their life, their understanding of rest and holy-making. For others, dedicating time each day is honoring sabbath. I do not think there needs to be one way, just as we are shown in Genesis. With this in mind, consider the list you  made yesterday.

How do you care for creation? What do you care most about? What does it mean to care for creation? When looking over your list, pay attention to what types of creation care you orient yourself around most. Is your care relationship focused, involving care for people of a certain age? Are you justice-oriented, focused on the many issues around the world? Maybe you care for the earth and nature, or the economy and politics? There are so many ways we can care for creation. Block your list into similar categories. Continue to hone in on your passion and care. Consider ways you can more actively care for these things. Research local groups that you might join or volunteer to help.