Dominion

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.   Romans 8:19   

Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.  -- 2 Tim.1:14

This week many of the readings have been touching on my thoughts about creation and the role we play in that creation, as children of God.  I've been wondering lately if God created the Earth, and all that is in it, entirely for one purpose.  And that single purpose is for us to learn to love as God loves -- to learn how to love unconditionally and sacrificially -- so that life on Earth will be the same as it is in Heaven.

God created a beautifully interconnected, interdependent world.  Over this creation, God gave humankind dominion:  the authority and power to rule.  When God gave us dominion, he gave us free will.  For if we do not have free will, the ability to make choices, we would not have dominion -- dominion would be God's.

God also created a very diverse world.  He told humankind to be fruitful and multiply.  In making us different from one another and telling us to multiply, God guaranteed that the human population would grow in diversity.

Why does God give us free will?  And why does God want us to live amongst a great diversity of people?  Because love does not depend upon our obedience to the ones we love, nor on their obedience to us.  We are loved unconditionally and sacrificially by God, and we are meant to love one another unconditionally and sacrificially.

I believe God waits in longing for us to do this completely.  He has given us dominion.  And he taught us how to take care of his creation.  He has taught us, in thought, word, and deed, how to love unconditionally and sacrificially:  do not judge; forgive as we have been forgiven; do not covet; do not kill; love kindness; visit those in prison; care for the sick, the widow, the orphan; welcome the stranger; give sustenance to the hungry and thirsty; love not wealth, not prestige; turn our hearts to our children; walk humbly with God; love one another as Jesus loved us; etc., etc., etc.  This knowledge has been passed down through the millenia.

But, we learn best by a combination of shared knowledge and experience.  I believe that we have been given dominion in this world in order to experience the successes and failures, the highs and lows, of choosing, or not choosing, to love as God wants us to love.  The question is:  Are we learning what we need to learn?

God gave us dominion.  Why have so many children of God become bystanders, waiting for someone else to come to the rescue of those in need?  Instead of being bystanders, let us become allies of those in need, engaged in making this world a better place.  For we are meant to follow God's will, so that his Kingdom will come, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Dear God, please give me the courage and strength to do whatever I can to make this world a better place.  Love always, Pam