Sustainable Living

"Adonai's trees are satisfied--the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted. In them sparrows built their nests, while storks live in the fir trees."-Psalm 104:16

A buzz word around here is "sustainable agriculture". The idea behind it is to make sure that as you harvest from the land, that you manage to give back and take care of the land at the same time. Many people do it by spreading manure back onto their lands and sowing minerals back into their soil. Most important, is to remember the essence of "bio-diversity". To respect bio-diversity, you must remember that living things were never meant to be segregated, but integrated. For instance, God didn't send the bunnies to Vermont and the foxes to Indiana and the deer to Montana....he integrated living things to benefit from each other. The more that farming can mimic that, the more it will be a "sustainable" farm that gives back to the land that gives to the farmer.

The Lord led me to meditate on this. What is "sustainable living"? I believe that sustainable living is firstly remembering that all life comes from God. Psalm 104:27-30 says,"All of them look to you to give them their food when they need it. When you give it to them, they gather it; when you open your hand, they are well satisfied. If you hide your face, they vanish; if you hold back their breath, they perish and return to their dust. If you send out your breath, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth."
The Lord provides for all He has created according to His flawless will. The trees have no want for water unless He is withholding that water for a divine purpose. He keeps the tree either watered or not based upon his particular use for that tree. In verse 16, referenced above, it mentions that in the well-watered tree a sparrow can build it's nest. I long to be the sort of tree that the Lord can feel confident enough in that He may lead a "sparrow" to "nest" in me. In other words, I'd like people to find a home in my heart, and feel safe enough to bring the vulnerability of their lives into me to find a place to grow. May I be pleasing to you, Adonai. Amen. However, a tree cannot water itself.

"Think about the wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread; yet, I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these. If this is how God clothes grass, which is alive in the field today and thrown in the oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you! What little trust you have!" -Luke 12:27&28
What little trust we have. We long to have our neat little life in our neat little box with our neat little labels so that WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT! Oh, but what peace we forfeit when we don't yield to God's design for things. Unless the Lord builds the house, he labors in vain who builds it. Trust in Adonai, and find yourself sustained. Even if the Lord withholds your rain or your physical breath, you will find your soul sustained by the peace that passes understanding. The riches of heaven are not jewels or gold or filthy mammon of any kind. The riches of heaven include shalom and brotherly love.

Seek first your first love....your Creator and Sustainer. Be a place others can call home as you lean on the sustenance and peace of Adonai. Don't strive. For anything.

THAT is sustainable living. "Give, and you will receive gifts--the full measure, compacted, shaken together and overflowing, will be put right in your lap. For the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure back to you!" -Luke 6:38