Sunday of Creation (Ps) September 9th

Psalm 8:1-9

¹ O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

² Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

⁷ all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

What does it mean to have dominion over something? If I said that Husband are supposed to have dominion over their wives, what would people think? Most people would think that this means they should dominate and maybe beat it into submission. But does dominion necessarily mean such a bad thing?

God gave mankind or Adam and Eve dominion over all of His creation. Some people like to say God made mankind stewards of all His creation. God has not given up his own control over creation. But he has created mankind to be the leaders of his creation. A home owner is expected to take care of his house and make sure that it lasts and remains a proper living space. A renter generally has a deposit which they receive back when they are finished renting as long as they have kept the place in good order. If someone has you babysit for them they do not expect you to send the child to college but keep the child safe and protected for the time you are given dominion over it.

God has given us dominion over his creation, but God will return. We have already killed maimed and destroyed his creation on account of our sins. But he sent his only son into the flesh in order to provide redemption for mankind. When Christ, the word by whom all things were made, returns he will restore God's creation to its proper glory.

But we are still the stewards of God's creation until Christ returns. This means we should do our best to look after the creation. We should help protect endangered species. We should work to make the earth livable for as long as possible. We should help control population growths, and maintain different environments on the planet.