LOVE OUR EARTH

I am very happy to say this slogan “Love Our Earth” at every opportunity, especially on social media. Why? It’s because there are many reasons why we should love our earth. The earth where we live in is special for our Creator; from the beginning of His creation until now. Of the 8 planets which exist, all of them move around the sun on its axis. However, each planet has a different distance (ellipse) from the sun. Let's set our sights on planet earth as the third planet of the solar system. It is planet earth itself is inhabited by humans*. Why is that?

There are several factors which cause planet earth is suitable as a place to live compare to other planets. Some literature provides many explanations. I try to list some of the advantages of the condition of the planet earth.  

1. Earth Surface is mostly waterThe ratio of the land and water on planet Earth is 1: 3. More than 70% of water dominates the earth as a support to live on earth. Before the 20th century, the condition on earth surface was still normal. Sea level was stable and allowed the islands to remain without sinking. This condition is different nowadays. Sea level gets higher and endangers the land. Some lands have already gone lower. It shows that the areas, covered by water are getting wider and wider. 

Water is a primer element which is needed to support the living things on earth. In the Bible in Genesis 1:6, it says that water was separated from the firmament on the second day by God. This is a manifestation that the Creator loves and cares for the existence of water for lives on planet earth. 

2. Planet Earth has atmosphere. Earth is the only planet which has atmosphere. Atmosphere is layer or air which surround planet Earth. It has many layers. The closest layer to the Earth's surface is troposphere. Here, weather and climate phenomena occur. Next is stratosphere. This layer is a concentration of ozone and it useful to filter ultraviolet rays from the sun so that living things don’t get direct heat from UV rays. Mesosphere is the third layer which protects planet Earth from celestial bodies such as meteors which enter planet Earth. Thermosphere is the next layer and it functions to capture and reflect radio waves from planet Earth, to the outermost layer (outer space). Therefore, you can imagine our earth without any atmosphere.  

Moreover, atmosphere also contains important gases which we need for living; Oxygen. Oxygen is important to support the respiratory system of humans, animals, plants. Whether, carbon dioxide is for plants. Carbon dioxide helps the plants to make green plants possible to carry out the process of photosynthesis. It acts as a "producer" in the food pyramid that ensures the life of other living things, humans and animals. 

3. Earth is a planet. Every planet in our solar system moves around the sun which is called a revolution. When it evolves, planet Earth has a tilt of 23 ° causing the poles to warm and the equator not to be too hot (extreme). Extreme heat in the polar and equatorial regions could cause high potential to cause very strong winds. Earth revolution itself has a great impact to change seasons and the length of day and night.

Earth also rotates on its axis and it is called rotation. The duration of one rotation of planet Earth is about 23 hours 56 minutes. The direction of rotation is from west to east. This rotation gives an alternation of day and night, daily apparent circulation of the celestial bodies, the difference in time and the bending of the winds. When the rotation is too long or too fast, the difference between day and night becomes longer. In addition, planet Earth, the third planet from the sun, also has an ideal impact on the survival of living things. The distance between the earth and the sun that is not too close or too far. The temperature on the earth's surface is ideal then for the life of living things because of this position. Different things happen to the planet Mercury which is the closest to the sun. The temperature is very hot there.   

4. Planet earth has mountainous paths. Mountains on Earth could be wind barriers. It causes the temperature in the polar and equatorial regions different. Active mountains stray a myriad of minerals from lower level of Earth’s layer. These minerals are no less important as supporting living things. They also contain metallic elements to non-metals. They are impossible to be engineered by humans on planet earth. 

The issue of global warming which is increasingly intense until now has caused global concern about the condition of the earth. Global warming is accused of being a "big monster" which is changing the life of earth's creatures. Due to global warming, the temperature in the polar regions (ice) increases, thereby accelerating the melting of icebergs and increasing the volume of sea level. Global warming increases the average temperature on the earth's surface by 0.8°C. Planet Earth is getting hotter, tropical rain forests are withering and many land water sources (rivers and lakes) are experiencing drought. It is exacerbated by the impact of the La Nina or El Nino phenomenon. They threaten to fail the world's agricultural crops, and leads to the threat of human starvation in many places.  

 

Furthermore, humans use fossil fuels more and more. This consumption leaves combustion residue (toxic lead gas) and it continues to soar in the sky of planet earth. Air pollution is rising, then. It does not stop there. The irresponsible use of water from the earth spreads toxins and pollutes water; and so other non-liquid wastes. So who will "clean it up"? It's really very worrying isn't it? 

 

This concern is a common concern of the world community. In 1970, public has begun to be aware and through the voices they emerged about the state of our planet. April 22 was chosen to be the day to maximize participants for the campaign on the environment. Which later became "Earth Day". Until now, Earth Day continues to be used as a momentum for the world to show real love (care) for the earth, the only planet that is blessed by God with many goodness for living beings. 

 

Love our earth, of course, not only because it commemorates Earth day. When we celebrate Earth day, we should be grateful for the goodness of the earth that God has given to us. In Genesis 1:31, God finally saw that everything He had made was very good for us and every living thing on Earth. Therefore, what God has well-made, humans must take care of it responsibly. They all belong to God.Happy Earth Day. Congratulations on loving the earth. LOVE OUR EARTH

Harapan Dalam Lingkungan Sulit

 Renungan Mazmur 34:18 : Harapan Dalam Lingkungan Sulit

Tuhan dekat dengan orang-orang yang patah hati dan menyelamatkan mereka yang remuk jiwanya.

Mazmur 34:18

Di dunia yang gelap dan jahat ini, setiap orang akan menghadapi berbagai masalah, kesulitan dan penderitaan, yang membuat orang merasa menderita dan tidak berdaya, dan mereka tidak tahu bagaimana cara melepaskan diri dari tekanan dan penderitaan tersebut. Jangan khawatir, baca makna Mazmur 34:18 renungan, yang akan membantu Anda.

“Tuhan dekat dengan orang-orang yang patah hati dan menyelamatkan mereka yang remuk jiwanya.” (Mazmur 34:18) Ayat ini ditulis oleh Daud ketika dia diusir oleh Raja Akhis di Gat, dan berpura-pura gila untuk melarikan diri. Berbagai permasalahan, kesulitan, penderitaan dan tantangan yang dihadapi Daud saat itu, walaupun dia merasa sedih dan menyesal di dalam hatinya, dia tidak kehilangan iman kepada Tuhan dan tetap mencari pertolongan, penghiburan dan keselamatan Tuhan. Tuhan itu setia, dan Tuhan menjawab seruan Daud, memberinya penghiburan dan kedamaian. Pengalaman Daud menunjukkan kepada kita pentingnya memelihara iman dan mengandalkan Tuhan di masa-masa sulit. Meskipun dia mengalami kesulitan dan kemunduran, dia tahu bahwa Tuhan tidak meninggalkannya, dan Tuhan ada di sisinya sebagai tempat berlindung dan penyelamatnya. Oleh karena itu, dia dapat melantunkan nyanyian pujian atas rahmat dan kemurahan Tuhan. Dalam kehidupan nyata, kita juga akan menghadapi berbagai tantangan dan kesulitan, yang membuat kita merasakan kesakitan, kesedihan dan ketidakberdayaan. Namun jika kita bisa menghadap Tuhan seperti Daud, memohon pertolongan Tuhan dan menerima keselamatan Tuhan, kita juga bisa mendapatkan rahmat dan kesembuhan Tuhan, sehingga kita dapat melepaskan diri dari penderitaan dan menerima penghiburan.

Tuhan berkata: “Yang Mahakuasa berbelas kasihan kepada orang-orang yang sudah sangat menderita ini; pada saat yang sama, Dia muak dengan orang-orang yang tidak memiliki kesadaran ini, karena Dia harus menunggu terlalu lama untuk mendapatkan jawaban dari umat manusia. Dia ingin mencari, mencari hati dan rohmu, untuk membawakanmu air dan makanan, serta membangunkanmu, agar engkau tidak akan haus dan lapar lagi. Ketika engkau letih dan ketika engkau mulai merasakan adanya ketandusan yang suram di dunia ini, jangan kebingungan, jangan menangis. Tuhan Yang Mahakuasa, Sang Penjaga, akan menyambut kedatanganmu setiap saat. Dia berjaga di sisimu, menantikanmu untuk berbalik. Dia menantikan hari ketika engkau tiba-tiba memperoleh kembali ingatanmu: ketika engkau menyadari bahwa engkau berasal dari Tuhan, bahwa, entah kapan, engkau kehilangan arah, entah kapan, engkau kehilangan kesadaran di jalan, dan entah kapan, engkau mendapatkan seorang "bapa"; selanjutnya, ketika engkau menyadari bahwa Yang Mahakuasa selama ini selalu mengamati, menantikan di sana sangat lama untuk kedatanganmu kembali. Dia telah mengamati dengan kerinduan yang memilukan, menunggu respons tanpa jawaban. Penjagaan dan penantian-Nya begitu tak ternilai, dan semua itu adalah demi hati manusia dan roh manusia. Mungkin penjagaan dan penantian ini tidak berbatas waktu, dan mungkin semua itu sudah berakhir. Namun, engkau harus tahu persis di mana hati dan rohmu berada saat ini.” (Dikutip dari “Firman, Volume 1, Penampakan dan Pekerjaan Tuhan, Keluhan Yang Mahakuasa”)

Dari firman Tuhan, kita dapat merasakan kasih dan kepedulian Tuhan terhadap kita. Meskipun kita akan menghadapi segala macam tekanan dan kesakitan di dunia yang gelap dan jahat ini, Tuhan tidak menyerah, menunggu di sisi kita, memanggil kita, dan tidak sabar menantikan kita untuk kembali ke pelukan-Nya, dan untuk menerima keselamatan dan perbekalan-Nya, agar kita dapat lepas dari penderitaan dan hidup dalam perlindungan-Nya. Inilah kasih dan keselamatan Tuhan yang tanpa pamrih bagi kita!