Holy Ground

Did you ever wonder why farmers who pride themselves on planting their crop in straight rows will then force them to grow in a circle? It’s a familiar sight here in Nebraska. Everyone knows you measure land in acres, which are square. But what really adds value to your land is the number of circles on your squares.

In 1823, a government surveyor named Stephen Long was mapping out the Great Plains, an expanse of land acquired along with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. He was unimpressed by what he saw and submitted this report:

“I do not hesitate in giving the opinion that it is almost wholly
unfit for cultivation, and of course, uninhabitable by a people depending upon agriculture for their subsistence.”

Long would be shocked to see what the region looks like today -- not merely fit for cultivation, but in fact one of the most fertile and productive areas of the world. Since World War II, the technology for pumping groundwater for irrigation has transformed what Long called "The Great American Desert" into the breadbasket of the world. A marvelous achievement, no question. But there is growing concern about how quickly the underground water reservoirs are being depleted. Every few years, farmers in some areas find themselves redigging wells deeper and deeper to reach water.

For centuries, the biblical command to "have dominion" over the earth (Genesis 1:26, 28) was seen as a divine endorsement of environmental exploitation. But in recent years, people of faith have begun supporting efforts to be good stewards of the earth. And perhaps it’s about time.

The 19th century poet, William Cullen Bryant, observed that God’s first temple was a garden. In the beginning, God’s only requirement of Adam was to “ work in the garden and to care for it.” (Gen 2:15)

We can't afford to be lazy stewards. After all, Psalm 24:1 reminds us, "The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” It’s a pretty amazing place where we live. A place that reflects the goodness of God (Rom 1:20).