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- Written by: Don Goulding
The Lord God formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. (Genesis 2:19)
A farmer in Africa introduced us to his elephants—Mary, Boxy, and Shorty. They were characters who snatched their owner’s hat away in a game of keep away.
As I laid oranges on Mary’s huge tongue, Boxy and Shorty groped inside my jacket for more fruit. These were outgoing friends, and it was a pleasure to make their acquaintance.
The Garden of Eden enjoyed harmony between animals and humans. We were commissioned to co-govern God’s wooly, scaly, and feathered creatures. Instead, we brought curses into the world that polarized our relationship with animals. They became our sacrificial offerings, or our idols.
Today, the extremes are still in play. We use animals for sport hunting or worship them as domesticated pets. The balance of Eden is long gone. In my lifetime, one half of the planet’s wild animals were eliminated due to destruction of habitat. I don’t want the blood of those crimes on my hands. I must rediscover my calling to godly animal husbandry.
As a follower of Jesus, I have the opportunity to right a few wrongs. I can boycott unsustainable harvests, speak against animal cruelty, and use care that I don’t spend more on my pets than I do on God’s kingdom. There are many ways I can slow this double-edged war against creation.
In the meantime, to Mary, Boxy, and Shorty I want to say, “I’ve been on the wrong side of your suffering. Now let me love and protect you.”
Prayer: Father, help me care for your creation.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)
Grandpa took my cousin and me deep sea fishing. The early morning salt air had our schoolboy nerves at DEFCON one. Everything took on new proportions—like the shark a fisherman caught early on.
My young mind was etched with the shock of the deckhand knocking the creature’s head against the rail. An hour later, the shark thrashed in its gunnysack and they thumped it asunder yet again. By the end of the trip, the animal was still gulping for air.
More recently, a shark of a different kind became etched on my mind. A Chinese pastor in the underground church asked me if it was true that people are poor because they fail to claim physical blessings from God. I recalled this heresy from American televangelists, running into it in Nigeria—and here it was again. How many times did we have to beat this lie over the head?
I coached the Chinese pastor from 1 Timothy 6:5 that says godliness is not a means to monetary profit. But do I heed my own preaching? In my world, we’ve learned to call it something other than prosperity gospel. But if you eavesdrop on our conversations, you’ll hear about our wealthy lifestyle and not about the kingdom of God.
I’m an animal lover and I never want to harm God’s creatures. My own prosperity shark, however, is the one predator I’ll continually bash on the head.
Prayer: Lord Christ, make me rich in faith and poor in my concern for wealth.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand. (Isaiah 52:15b) (NIV)
Orphans bounced like popcorn on the trampoline at the mission house in Zimbabwe. Normally they laughed and took turns, four at a time. This day, sharing was abandoned and I had to intervene. Eight little combatants pushed and shouted in their native Shona. My polite English didn't reach them.
“Stop,” I shouted.
They froze.
“Get off.”
Eight pairs of bare feet scampered away.
Human words are an imperfect medium. Even when we’re speaking the same language, misunderstandings are frequent. Knowing this, God communicated his most important message in a way it wouldn’t be lost amidst our confusion. Jesus was God’s shout from heaven.
God didn’t leave his offer for reconciliation dependent on words alone. He needed a way to cut through language and culture to say, “I love you and I’ll do anything to save you.” Sending his all glorious Son to die an unjust death, heralds a message so loud that none can mistake it.
The communique of the cross will make it impossible for us to stand at Judgment Day and say we didn’t understand God. Any who would not respond to the grand demonstration of sacrificial love must belong to the fiery abyss of hell.
Prayer: Father, thank you for shouting salvation at me.