Global Warming and Other Disasters

My husband and I got into a minor tiff the other day and it's all Al Gore's fault!

We were at the table discussing geography with our boys. A question about why the days were shorter in winter led to an explanation of the globe, seasons, rotation of the earth, longitude and latitude-you know-things that every 4 and 6 year old are dying to learn about.

While discussing the Arctic and Antarctic, the boys were remembering which place the penguins lived(Antarctic) and where the polar bears lived(Arcitc). I made an offhand comment about seeing Al Gore on Oprah(yes, I watch that sometimes) with a presentation about polar bears losing the ice that they live on and being stranded in the ocean. This prompted my husband to give me some info that he had found in opposition to the whole global warming, ice caps melting, we're-going-to-be-living-with-Kevin-Costner-in-WaterWorld-soon, way of thinking. I didn't read it at the time because I wasn't really ready for a deep, socio-political conversation over dinner. This irritated my husband which, in turn, irritated me, and so we lost about 20 minutes of our evening to sulking. But, we made up and decided to discuss saving the world and diverting future disasters for another night.

There are those who are convinced that global warming is going to occur very rapidly and have dire consequences. Here's a link to a recent article from National Geographic's website. There are others who simply think that our current warming trend is part of a normal cycle that the Earth goes through every so often.

Which is true? I am no scientist but I tend to believe that global warming is a fact. There are over 6 billion people living on this planet, millions of factories producing all sorts of chemicals and pollution, and lots of burping cows. How could we believe that all of this would not impact our earth? I inhabit a house with two kids and a dog. Trust me, there is huge evidence that they have an environmental impact on our carpet.

However, the real reason I believe in global warming has less to do with science, although, I dearly love science, and more to do with Revelation. Revelation is full of events that I can only partially understand. There are dramatic occurrences on every page. Disaster drips from each paragraph as it explains the end of this current earth and the beginning of a new heaven and new earth in which evil has been vanquished and all is set right.

Within this, at times, very confusing book are incidents such as a third of the trees and grass being burned up, a third of the living creatures in the sea dying, the Euphrates river drying up, powerful earthquakes and plagues. There is a whole lot more, obviously, but I am not trying to give an exhaustive review of Revelation. My only point is that this current earth's days are numbered. At some point disaster is coming. Global warming and other ecological disasters may be just the precursors, or the labor pains, of the Day that is going to come. It may be 10 years from now; it may be 100 years from now; it may be 1000 years from now; but, it's coming. Jesus will be coming back.

So, as a christian, why do I need to think that global warming isn't real? If I believe that the Bible is true, then I have to believe that the earth is not improving, but is declining and will continue to do so. Yet, we are not to be ruled by the fear of disaster. Our hope is to be in Christ and in His future coming.

2 Peter 3:13 "But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."

So, don't let Al Gore get you into fights with your spouse, and take comfort that eventually God is going to right all the wrongs of this earth.