Given by Rev. Madison Shockley April 25, 2021
We wait for a new righteousness for our world. This past Thursday was the 51st observance of Earth Day. On this day, everyone takes stock of the condition of the environment. It calls us to focus our attention on our personal, community, national, and international relationship with our world. We look to both the behaviors that lead to the degradation of Earth and the actions we take to help heal it. As Peter said, we are seeking a new heaven and a new Earth. We seek a balance that sustains the lives of all. It is in our grasp. The behavior of first-world countries must change. We produce a disproportional amount of waste and consume a disproportional amount of resources. This is environmental racism. We must lead the fight to restore this planet. We must be aware of what is happening in our world. This past week, the jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd. We hope that this is a sign of a better world to come, a world of justice. We cannot be indifferent to what is happening around us. The verdict gives us the hope that we can have justice for all. It is our Christian duty to bear witness to this progress so that one day we can see a new heaven and a new Earth.
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