청지기의 특권(THE PRIVILEGE OF STEWARDSHIP)

💙  청지기의 특권

 ✝  창세기 1:20 - 1:28 

“ 바다의 물고기와 하늘의 새와 땅에 움직이는 모든 생물을 다스리라 “[창세기 1:28]

휴가 중 남편과 해변을 걷다가 큰 사각형의 모래밭이 임시로 세운 울타리로 막혀 있는 것을 보았습니다. 한 청년이 바다거북 둥지의 알을 보호하기 위해 자원봉사자들과 밤새워 일했다고 설명했습니다. 둥지에서 나온 새끼 거북은 동물과 사람의 위협 때문에 생존율이 낮습니다. 그는 “우리가 이런 노력을 해도 5천 마리 중 겨우 한 마리만 어른이 된다고 과학자들은 추정합니다.”라고 말했습니다. 그러나 이 젊은이는 이런 암울한 숫자에 낙심하지 않았습니다. 새끼 거북의 부화를 위해 사심 없이 봉사하는 그의 열정이 바다거북을 귀하게 여기고 보호하고자 하는 나의 열망을 한층 더 깊게 해주었습니다. 이제 나는 하나님의 창조물을 돌볼 책임이 나에게도 있음을 잊지 않으려고 바다거북 목걸이를 하고 다닙니다. 

하나님이 세상을 창조하셨을 때 모든 창조물이 살고 번성할 수 있는 서식처를 주셨습니다(창세기 1:20-25). 하나님은 그의 형상대로 우리를 만드시고 “바다의 물고기와 하늘의 새와 가축과 온 땅과 땅에 기는 모든 것을 다스리라”고 하셨습니다(26절). 
하나님은 우리가 하나님이 주신 권위로 그분의 방대한 창조물을 돌보는 책임 있는 청지기로서 그분을 섬기게 하십니다.

------------------------------
하나님의 창조물들을 어떻게 돌보아 왔습니까? 이번 주에 어떻게 창조물을 돌보는 더 좋은 청지기가 될 수 있을까요?

<만물의 창조주시며 주관자이신 사랑의 하나님, 하나님의 창조물을 돌보는 청지기의 책임을 다하고 우리에게 맡겨 주신 이 세계를 돌볼 수 있도록 사람들의 마음을 움직일 수 있는 구체적인 방법들을 보여 주소서.>

**************************
[창세기 1:20 - 1:28]
20. 하나님이 이르시되 물들은 생물을 번성하게 하라 땅 위 하늘의 궁창에는 새가 날으라 하시고
21. 하나님이 큰 바다 짐승들과 물에서 번성하여 움직이는 모든 생물을 그 종류대로, 날개 있는 모든 새를 그 종류대로 창조하시니 하나님이 보시기에 좋았더라
22. 하나님이 그들에게 복을 주시며 이르시되 생육하고 번성하여 여러 바닷물에 충만하라 새들도 땅에 번성하라 하시니라
23. 저녁이 되고 아침이 되니 이는 다섯째 날이니라
24. 하나님이 이르시되 땅은 생물을 그 종류대로 내되 가축과 기는 것과 땅의 짐승을 종류대로 내라 하시니 그대로 되니라
25. 하나님이 땅의 짐승을 그 종류대로, 가축을 그 종류대로, 땅에 기는 모든 것을 그 종류대로 만드시니 하나님이 보시기에 좋았더라
26. 하나님이 이르시되 우리의 형상을 따라 우리의 모양대로 우리가 사람을 만들고 그들로 바다의 물고기와 하늘의 새와 가축과 온 땅과 땅에 기는 모든 것을 다스리게 하자 하시고
27. 하나님이 자기 형상 곧 하나님의 형상대로 사람을 창조하시되 남자와 여자를 창조하시고
28. 하나님이 그들에게 복을 주시며 하나님이 그들에게 이르시되 생육하고 번성하여 땅에 충만하라, 땅을 정복하라, 바다의 물고기와 하늘의 새와 땅에 움직이는 모든 생물을 다스리라 하시니라

---

💙 THE PRIVILEGE OF STEWARDSHIP

 ✝  Genesis 1:20 - 1:28 

“Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

[ GENESIS 1:28 ]

While on vacation, my husband and I walked along the beach and noticed a large, square patch of sand blocked off by a makeshift fence. A young man explained that he worked around the clock with a team of volunteers committed to guarding the eggs in each sea turtle’s nest.

Once the hatchlings emerged from their nest, the presence of both animals and humans threaten and decrease their chance of survival. “Even with all our efforts,” he said, “scientists estimate that only one out of every five thousand hatchlings reach adulthood.” These bleak numbers didn’t discourage this young man, however. His passion for selflessly serving the hatchlings deepened my desire for respecting and protecting sea turtles. Now I wear a sea turtle pendant that reminds me of my God-given responsibility to care for the creatures He’s made.

When God created the world, He provided a habitat in which each creature could live and thrive (GENESIS 1:20–25). When He creꠓated His image-bearers, God intended for us to “rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (V. 26).

He helps us serve Him as responsible stewards who use our God-given authority to care for His vast creation.

-Xochitl Dixon

----------------------------------

In what ways have you cared for God’s creation? How can you become a better steward of it this week?

<Loving Creator and Sustainer of all, please show me tangible ways

I can fulfill my responsibility as a steward of Your creation and inspire others to care for the world You’ve entrusted to us.>

******************

[Genesis 1:20 - 1:28 ]

20. Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."

21. And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

22. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

23. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

24. Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so.

25. And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

26. Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28. And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."