Thoughts from Tilford
No rain fell in the South-East of England in September. We watched as our lawns grew browner and browner. And we watered (no hose-pipe bans surprisingly) Then the rains came - and we grumbled! Think what it must be like when the rains fail almost permanently or come in torrents and devastating floods ensue. My recent Tear Fund magazine told the story of a 13 year old girl living on a hilltop village in Uganda who had walked 13,000 miles in her short life and yet had never left her village - she walked 4 miles down and 4 miles up every day to fetch water for the family. Other Charity magazines abound with stories from all over the world of people's struggle to keep alive in inhospitable conditions. Little by little help is brought, but the suffering continues. What can we do? Is Global Warming or Climate Change the cause?
What about the vicious earthquake and volcanic eruption in the Far East, with the ensuing tsunami? Can we do anything to prevent these disasters? Puny man hasn't a hope of controlling those tectonic plates crashing together beneath the earth's surface.
Someone recently pointed out to me that a billion years ago the earth was very different to what it is now, and in a billion year's time it will be different again. So do we just sit back and let these changes take their natural course. We can't do anything to control the tectonic plates; ought we to be giving more support to Charities that bring relief? Changing a light-bulb or two doesn't achieve very much, but perhaps we ought to be doing our bit. There is an International conference taking place in Copenhagen in December; important decisions about Global Warming will hopefully be made there. Do we leave it all to them? Certainly this conference needs our interest and prayers.
So where do all these rather random thoughts lead us? Perhaps to reflect on our own place in and our relationship with Creation. Do we see ourselves as masters, exploiting Creation for our own selfish ends? Or do we think of ourselves as stewards, seeing Creation as God's work and working with Him in and through the Natural World, realizing that all humanity is part of that creation and we are all equally valuable in God's eyes. Am I my brother's keeper? Are we all in it together? "The earth is the Lord's and all that therein is ", says the Psalmist.
Have I given you something to think about ?- perhaps the next time you look at a brown lawn or grumble about the rain. Whatever your reaction, this letter comes with my love and best wishes to-you all.
Norman Evans