All things natural are free but aren’t cheap – Te au mea natura ravarai mea oronga ua ia mai tereira, e akatarauanga ngao ra te tiki, writes Bishop Tutai Pere of the Apostolic Church.

Scriptural text: Luke 12:48, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more”.

1. Creator God and Procreator Humanity in partnership

 The Bible in Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1; 8:5-8 and Genesis 1: 27-28 declares that, God in the beginning of times created the heaven and the earth and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein, in the image of God and after his likeness he made man and woman, male and female, and blessed them to procreate, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. God crowned them with glory and honour to have dominion over all marine life, over all fowls of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth and whatsoever passes along the paths of the sea. “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31). Their Godly and Human relationship had to be forever intact and corporately intimate, humanity as chief custodian and steward must always be subservient and subject to his creator God. Every time he disobeys, he pays and suffers all consequences. Just as his word in Galatians 6:7 – 9 states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth shall he also reap. 8, For he that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9, And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not”.

• Only where God’s Spirit is, liberty and freedom reigns supreme and prevails

All things natural could have been absolutely free for the taking with no strings attached had humanity not denied and betrayed trust with his Creator God. Given the privilege to name all living beings, creatures and species all subject to the rule of humanity, but a twist of distrust and disobedience that turned to greed, covetousness and selfish ambitions caused the whole earth to become volatile, ridden with curses, corruptions, abuses, sins and death. Solar, wind, rain, ice, snow, ocean, rivers, lakes, water intakes, coal, iron ore, wood, gold, diamond, silver, copper, bronze, oil, petroleum, gas, steam, minerals, fossil fuels and all forms of food chains were all divinely and naturally gifted to serve and sustain life on earth. Again, just as his word reminds us sinful humanity in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”. All was free in times of innocence but due to humanity’s blatant disobedience, nothing is for free no more, but always a great price to pay, by the sweat of our brows and with hard labour we shall eat. We rise in the morning for work and rest to sleep at night or vice versa with shift works. Obtaining, constructing, converting and generating all of the above natural resources into energy power source, food source and economic revenue and prosperity absolutely aren’t cheap.

• Salvation in Jesus is free but aren’t cheap

Many Christians say that salvation in Jesus Christ is free, yet it costed the Son of God his very life taking that life threatening journey from birth to his sacrificial death on Calvary’s cross to atone humanity’s sin, curses and death penalty. Job 1:21 said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”. Though we can consider our individual lives a free gift to humanity but our lives from birth to death is as costly as ever, from the womb to our tomb, with countless many who were instrumental and contributed much to nurturing, educating, training and helping shape us into having greater, better and brighter future destiny and inheritance. The Apostle Paul in 1^st Timothy 6:7 adds, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out”. Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher once said, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’. Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:19 said to his disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. To the ends of the earth, he sends them to teach and preach the Gospel of truth, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Man fell so low that he lost his identity as role model for all creatures of the earth, instead, the wisest King Solomon in Proverbs 6:6-8 has to use one of the smallest of insects as example of illustriousness and productivity, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7, which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8, provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest”. The Apostle 3John 2, offers a Godly balance for life, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers”. Wealth, health and spirituality are our balance for life.

• Perfect model for life

The Creator God Himself, the Great I Am, Name Above All Names Jesus Christ, concludes, Mathew 11:28 – 30, “Come to Me, you all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29, Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I Am meek, and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. 30, For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. He alone restores and reconciles us all back to our Heavenly Father.

Have a safe, peaceful, and Jesus blessed weekend – Jesus bless our beloved Cook Islands and the whole world at large, Amene!