This year Earth day and Good Friday happen to fall on the same day, April 22nd. Earth day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment, while Good Friday is the day that Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. So what do the two have in common? One word comes to my mind: recycling.
Recycling is processing used materials into new products. It is the processing of those materials that have been used and are now considered waste. The crushed soda can, broken glass bottle, empty plastic container, and the used paper all being spared from being buried somewhere in a dump. How are they spared? It takes someone taking the time to take each one in their hands and place them in the bin where they belong. Containers should be cleaned out. Boxes should have all tape and staples removed and broken down. It is much quicker to just throw the used material away, but we take the time to do it because we care about preserving the world we live in.
People too can be used, crushed, broken, empty, and wasted. That is why Jesus Christ took the time to come into the world. He came to recycle and preserve men. He, himself, was crushed, broken, emptied and left for waste on the cross at Calvary. He, himself, was buried in the tomb, yet he did not remain there. The Spirit of God raised Him from the dead on the third day. He, in essence, opened the recycling plant for men. Jesus Christ overcame death and paid the penalty for the sins of all who would place their life in His hands and allow Him to turn them into a new creation. That is the recycling that matters most. Something to consider as you place your renewable materials in their proper bins this week: You too are renewable and have a proper place in Christ.
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. -Romans 6:4
