READ Psalm 104:10–13. 10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. 11 They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. 13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
QUENCHING THEIR THIRST. God also cares for what he has made. Through the waters he created he now quenches the thirst of all creatures (verse 11) and irrigates the earth to make it fertile (verse 13). God’s care for all his creation should make believers the protectors, rather than the exploiters, of its goodness. Is the land “satisfied with the fruit of [our] work” on it? Or have we failed, through both ignorance and avarice, to properly steward the riches of the world he has given us? We may find it hard not to abuse nature for our profit unless we get the deep inner contentment that comes from the water only Jesus can give, that of eternal life (John 4:13–14).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess I am so concerned for comfort and convenience that I don’t want to think about the possible bad effects any of my daily life practices might have on the natural world. But this is your world, which you love. So give me the humility and patience to ask these questions for the first time. Amen.