Crossing Deadly Boundaries… Hello Hump Day readers. As I’ve mentioned many times, I love reading National Geographic, Smithsonian, and other interesting scientific, historical and updated news. I find in these revelations a direct correlation to my faith and how God wants me to use that faith for all of creation. It’s a big task and one of the latest ones hurts my heart and I believe it hurts God’s heart as well. So, let’s dig into crossing deadly boundaries.

Just released from Science Advances, the Smithsonian magazine article made me shiver. Here is why…and please, read it carefully because this is something we all need to take to heart and there is still time to make the changes needed!

Human activities have caused the Earth to exceed six of nine boundaries necessary for keeping the planet healthy, pushing the environment “well outside the safe operating space for humanity,” scientists warn in a new stud…earth’s ability to sustain human society depends on nine primary “planetary boundaries,” or global systems that are key indicators of its health. Of these nine limits, humans have blown past six: climate change, biosphere integrity (including biodiversity), freshwater availability, land use, nutrient pollution and novel entities (meaning human-made pollution, such as microplastics and radioactive waste). Only the categories of ocean acidification, air pollution and ozone depletion remain within the constraints. These boundaries are not “tipping points” that are impossible to return from. Instead, they signal humans’ impact on the environment, scientists say. “Crossing six of the nine boundaries isn’t a guarantee of disaster,” says scientist Katherine Richardson from Denmark. Instead, “it’s a wake-up call; it’s like your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is elevated, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to have a heart attack. But it does tell you the risk is too high, and you try and put it down.”

Now let Us conceive a new creation—humanity—made in Our image, fashioned according to Our likeness. And let Us grant them authority over all the earth—the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, the domesticated animals and the small creeping creatures on the earth. So God did just that. He created humanity in His image, created them male and female. Then God blessed them and gave them this directive: “Be fruitful and multiply. Populate the earth. I make you trustees of My estate, so care for My creation and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that roams across the earth.”  (From The Voice Translation)

Here’s 5 quick run-downs that climate change has impacted on both humans and Earth:

HUMANS: Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. Climate impacts are already harming health, through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, pressures on mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food.

EARTH: Hotter temperatures. Devastating wildfires. As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does the global surface temperature. More severe storms. Increased deadly drought. A warming, rising ocean. Loss of species.

WHO is responsible—we all are. But one of the saddest statistics on this is those who believe in God and do not think climate change is real. They believe it is OK to rape the earth until there is nothing left of it because God gave it to us so we can do what we want with it. This ideology is not what God wants, it is selfish for self and has no care for creation, period. When I hear such stuff I just flop to my knees in prayer. What ‘god’ do these people worship?

Oh, dear Earth and our incredible Creator God, we owe you a huge apology! You created this planet for US and look what we’ve done. Your words from Genesis make it very clear for us but we’ve turned those words to our own devices—putting our priorities above your divine command. Instead of being responsible for caring, nurturing and protecting Earth, we have turned it around for OUR wants and needs and we are paying the price for it, from floods to horrific wildfires, deadly storms and so much more. It is time for confession, it is time for turning back before we break through any more deadly boundaries. O God help us all, AMEN.