Fire can be destructive.  

2 Peter 3:7 declares, “The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” Later in the same chapter (vs. 12) it says, “the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” The Bible says, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), and when the day of his wrath fully comes, he will destroy with fire. 

I grew up in the state of Oregon (USA). It is a land of forests. The Lord called my wife and I into missionary service, and it was our privilege to live in or near four of the most influential cities in the world: Los Angeles, Singapore, Washington, and London. Now we have returned to our beloved, beautiful Oregon.  

In 2020 forest fires in Oregon burned 1,000,000 acres, equal to five and one-half Singapores. Eleven people died and 2,880 buildings were destroyed, mostly homes. The fires came within 13 miles (21 km) of our own house. 

God created all of these beautiful, bountiful, productive forests. In Oregon, Douglas fir trees can grow up to 330 feet (100 metres) tall. They are magnificent. God created an entire beautiful, bountiful, productive planet and declared it “good” (Genesis 1). Humanity has sinned against God in a terrible way by polluting and destroying this great gift we call “Earth.” Now we know that our most consequential act of destruction has brought us to the terrible, urgent, global climate crisis we find ourselves in. 

The climate crisis is a big part of the reason why so many families in Oregon in 2020 suffered so terribly. But every place on earth, and every person on earth, will be affected by this. The scope of human suffering will be vast. In fact, it already is. 

It was my privilege to work with SCGM between 1985 and 1992. In all the mission events of those days, I wonder if the topic of Christian earth stewardship ever came up even once? I regret that. Now it is a desperately important topic that should be taught in our churches and in our mission events. Each of us need to ask what God is calling us to do for the health and sustainability of this great gift, our planet.