Creation Groans

I wonder if anyone remembers what Y2K means? It was predicted to be global catastrophe. For those who have no idea what this is, or maybe have forgotten, it was also known as the Millennium bug. This was a problem in the coding of computer programs that were predicted to crash because the old code only used 2 digits for the year in a date. So, when the date was 01/01/1998 for example the programs would shorten the date to 01/01/98 which wasn’t a problem. So, fear spread of widespread systems failure for the 01/01/2000, as the dates would have been read as 01/01/00 which isn’t a date at all! The Media publicised all sorts of predictions of an Apocalyptic scale for 1st of January 2000 with aircraft falling out of the sky, even military systems failing triggering conflict and nuclear disaster. Satellites orbiting the earth falling out of control back to earth and much more. Billions were spent to upgrade computers and application programs to be Y2K-compliant. As we are still here the predictions made did not happen.

But can we say the same about climate change where irreversible damage has already been caused and the impact of change in our climate is already being seen in many parts of the world before our eyes with fires, droughts and extreme weather events. The challenge the world faces is not stopping global warning as that is already too late but limiting the situation from becoming an extinction event!

I was researching one of the climate change websites and there was a diagram of the knock-on effects of further climate change. It was apocalyptic reading with famines, increasing diseases, damage to eco systems and deforestation due to fire. Even conflict and war over migrating populations and for the control of shrinking resources. I thought I was reading something out of the book of Revelation or the words Jesus spoke about the end times in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

What should our response as God’s kingdom people be to these things? Is this a sign of the end coming? How can we change anything? If it’s all going to end with the return of Jesus to Earth is there any point trying? Our faith is to live to serve the Lord in faithfulness now. Being good stewards of God’s creation and resources, not neglecting those in need, but also to live in the light of certain and sure hope that Jesus will come and make all things new.