“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day.” – Genesis 1:31, NIV
The waves that crash across the sandy shoreline, trees that tower toward the sun, painted fluffy clouds that float in the sky — all these are part of God’s creation. In Genesis, God called His creation good and gave Adam the task of working and caring for the Earth.
The Earth is different now from how it was before suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve committed the first sin. Dangers can now be found in nature. Natural disasters can destroy entire cities and ways of life. Animals can be harmful or even deadly if people are not aware of what is going on around them.
People must face hardships and take risks in the natural world. However, this does not mean God’s creation does not have purpose and value. These aspects of creation point toward the brokenness in the world that was created by sin and the need for Jesus.