Key Verse
"For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God." Romans 8:20-21 WEB
Lesson
Nature is beautiful. Watch a sunset or go to the ocean. Look up at the stars on a clear night. Smell a colorful flower in spring. Listen to the bird’s chirp in the morning. Hold a baby animal. In all cultures in every age humans have marveled at the beauty of nature. But they have also seen its harshness.
Nature can be bleak and even downright cruel. A child does not have to live long before they experience the unkind parts of nature and life. The prick of a thorn when they pick up a flower, the bite of a bug that seemed harmless. Eventually we all encounter death. Perhaps you have seen a dead animal in the road. Or maybe a favorite pet fish or cat died. All the flowers you pick wither and turn brown.
The longer you live the more unpleasant things you will see in nature. Creatures eating other creatures and other things we don’t often talk about. What are we to make of the harshness we find in nature? You may have experienced a sense of disgust, or even anger at the harsh ways of nature. That is a natural feeling. Death and cruelty often awaken a sense of injustice in us. We realize that something is missing or has gone wrong.
If there is injustice in the world than there must be a level of justice by which we measure injustice. Humans intuitively know that justice must exist because they can recognize injustice. If there is a standard of justice, then there must be someone who set that standard long ago and placed it within the mind of each human being. When we encounter death and cruelty in life we instinctively know that it is not right, it cannot be the end.
Sadly, some grow callus to the death and cruelty in nature. Others begin to think that if it has been this way for so long than maybe it was never any other way. Many people give up hope that all the injustice in the world will be made right. That is understandable. Thankfully there is still hope. The Creator of the universe has stepped in to tell us that death is not the end of the story. He has told us the cause of death and injustice in this world and that it is not the end, there is hope. All the injustice will be made right! Jesus has conquered death! When we encounter cruelty and injustice in nature or anywhere in our lives, we can take hope that someday soon, the Creator will come to restore justice and life!
Questions
How do you feel when you see a dead flower or animal?
Is it OK for us to be sad or even angry when things die?
Why has God allowed injustice and death in the world?
What has God done about the death and injustice in the world?
Other Resources About This Topic
Sermon: God Can You Hear Me? By Pastor William Little
Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit David F. Garner