Earth Day: God's Gift of Trees
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 2 Our God, you deserve praise in Zion, where we keep our promises to you. 3 Everyone will come to you because you answer prayer. 4 When our sins get us down, you forgive us. 5 You bless your chosen ones, and you invite them to live near you in your temple. We will enjoy your house, the sacred temple. 6 Our God, you save us, and your fearsome deeds answer our prayers for justice! You give hope to people everywhere on earth, even those across the sea. 7 You are strong, and your mighty power put the mountains in place. 8 You silence the roaring waves and the noisy shouts of the nations. 9 People far away marvel at your fearsome deeds, and all who live under the sun celebrate and sing because of you. 10 You take care of the earth and send rain to help the soil grow all kinds of crops. Your rivers never run dry, and you prepare the earth to produce abundant grain. 11 You water all its fields and level the lumpy ground. You send showers of rain to soften the soil and help the plants sprout. 12 Wherever your footsteps touch the earth, a rich harvest is gathered. 13 Desert pastures blossom, and mountains celebrate.
Psalm 65
Memory Verse
Psalms 65:9
9 People far away marvel at your fearsome deeds, and all who live under the sun celebrate and sing because of you.
Let’s think about trees. How many types of trees can you name in 30 seconds? How many trees can you count from your window? Trees fill an important role in keeping God’s creation clean and bright.
Here are just six things that trees do to help us and God’s creation live well on earth. First, trees breathe! Trees breathe in the used air we breathe out, and breathe out fresh air for us to breathe in! Second, dead leaves and rotting logs put important nutrients back into the soil. Third, trees provide homes for thousands of different creatures, like birds, insects, and squirrels. Fourth, many trees give people and animals fruit to eat, and many animals and insects eat the leaves, bark, and even the wood from trees. Fifth, trees cool the earth with shade on a hot day! Finally, trees are beautiful.
In today’s verse, God reminds us how he takes care of the land and all things that grow. Have you thought about how you can help God care for trees? Hike a trail and see all the amazing trees that God made, smell their natural fragrance, and hear the rustle of the wind in their leaves. Pick a type of tree native to where you live and plant it in your backyard or in a lightly wooded area. Use less paper and recycle it wisely. If you make something with wood, use just what you need and save your scraps for something else. This way fewer trees will need to be cut down. These are great ways to help God take care of trees.
Prayer
God, thank you for your trees. Please help me to take care of the trees around me. Help me see how I can take care of your creation. Amen.Related Resources
Albert Kok
Albert Kok spends a lot of time wondering in God´s creation on the Bruce Trail with his wife and four children. He is a grade 8 teacher and likes to encourage his students to wonder as well.