Week 3
9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Question 1
Read the passage from Genesis together. Do you notice how God said that it was good twice in one day. It seems that God filled the world with abundance of vegetation and delighted in it. How do you connect with nature in your life?
Question 2
How aware are you of your connection to the land? What helps you appreciate that more deeply?
Question 3
Read Matthew 13:31-32, the parable of the mustard seed. Why did Jesus tell that story? Why is faith like a mustard seed?
Question 4
Watch this weeks interview with Bernadette Kabonesa, a senior research technician at the Ugandan National Research Organization and an expert forester. Go to……. www.spckpublishing.co.uk/saying-yes-resources.
Question 5
Consider how your actions impact on forests whether it is through meat that comes from deforested land or wood to make paper. What steps could you and your church make in response?
Closing Prayer (from El Salvador)
God of creation, you have taught us to love life, that our longing for life should be above all other desires; a transcendent longing that values all of creations living creatures. The earth and trees groan because of our failure to care for and protect them, ruling over and profiting from them rather than protecting them from death. We have viewed the earth as a resource to be exploited rather than as our mother. We accept the challenge of taking care of ourselves, in order to care for the earth, our mother and common home, the trees and for life itself. We recognise that you have given us an understanding greater than other living creatures in order to reflect your creative communal and loving character towards all that exists. Lord, we commit to live caring for all nature, guarding our hearts from selfish desires and not living as proprietors, but as brothers and sisters and in community with all living things, especially the trees that are our source of life. Amen