Care For Our Land
By David Free, Deacon
Our church recently concluded a four-week series on creation care called “A Story of More,” referencing the caring for the earth God has entrusted us to us.
In the conclusion of the series, Pastor Dan introduced to us a new ministry devoted to the care of the 243 acres of land the church now has access to as a result of the closure of the Ko’olau golf course. This ministry, which has been named Hakuhia, will oversee the stewardship of the land. Hakuhia means “God’s delight.”
When you think of it, it’s really an honor for us to be responsible for this huge plot of Hawaiian earth. For one, it reflects the state’s motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono, which translates to “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”
If we take care of our land, our land will take care of us.
In the early days the Hawaiians developed a subsistence culture. They lived close to the land, developing systems and ways to protect, preserve, and restore the land resources.
In addition to the Hawaiian connection, it is biblical:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15)
God gave humankind, through Adam, the first man He created, the task of tending or keeping the garden. That means we are stewards of this earth, and the Master will require of us an account on how we’ve been stewards of what He has given us.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”(Psalm 24:1)
May we, as a church ‘ohana, see that His land is well cared for.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for all of creation. Please help us to do our part in caring for it. Amen.
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