And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28, ESV)

God’s command was given to the first humans he made. Its outworking includes populating the earth, creating space to live, and caring for the creatures God made. These give rise to communities where people live together, to villages and cities where culture flourishes, and to activities which preserve other forms of life on earth.

But these expansions were hampered when the first humans followed their own ways instead of God’s. In our unending desires for more – more than we need – we brought about climate changes, depletion of food in land and sea, and deforestation and the like. Many recognise that these cannot go on indefinitely. Otherwise, the damage to us (already obvious in our era), to our earth and to our future will be irreparable. Many around the world are now rallying to recover and restore what is lost – to bring back the beauty of creation.

As people redeemed in Christ, we work to restore souls to God and to reclaim the creation he has entrusted to us. (Colossians 1:19-20)

It is heartening to read in this REACH that young people are taking up this recovery of the earth in their stride. May God’s command be the impetus for our Christian youths and be the return to God for those who do not know him.