Creator, Creation and Creature

Sunday February 22^nd, Genesis 9: 8 Again, God said to Noah and his sons: 9 I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to everyone who will live after you. 10 This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat. 11 I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood. Those who profess rapture theology tend to see this as one of God’s trick statements, sort of a “I won’t use water next time, I’ll watch you all burn with fire ha ha ha!!!” statement. They are wrong, and more than just a bit sadistic.  That view of God as a sadistic SOB is not one I can embrace or even tolerate.  God made a promise to all of life on the planet earth that God will love them and keep them in a loving relationship. The unspoken part of that is that God will keep on our case until we “get it” and start to respond to God, creation, and one another in a similar, loving, caring manner.  In other words, there will be love, there will be grace and there will be Jesus and we are all called to be a part of that; but make no bones about it, there will be love, grace and Jesus with or without our participation. What should we make of this? God is concerned about and loves all of creation. Climate Change is a concern, The Sudan is a concern, the Middle East is a concern, Syria is a concern, Warfare is a concern and you and I are concerns. Our job is to get our concern in line with God’s concerns and care for all creation, all creatures, all people, not just our own back yard.  If we think and pray globally and act locally, our backyard, as well as our neighbor’s backyard will both benefit.  God has called us into relationship with Creator, Creation and Creature because God is in relationship with us.