Your Spiritual Biosphere

I came across a phrase written on the sign you see when entering the Smoky Mountains. It said Welcome to the Great Smoky Mountains, An International Biosphere Reserve. I’d never paid much attention to the reference of a biosphere reserve but I learnt that to be considered a biosphere reserve an area must meet certain criteria. Basically it is ‘a voluntary, cooperative, conservation reserve created to protect the biological and cultural diversity of a region while promoting sustainable economic development’. Each designated biosphere area must have three components: core areas, buffer zones, and transition or cooperation zones. (NRDC, www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/fbios.asp).

What’s a spiritual application to this? It struck me as I read the information that the Body of Christ throughout the world is like a Heavenly Biosphere Reserve. Members have their core areas where they assemble, worship, and fellowship together. They have their buffer zones where they share God’s love and life with hurting people; and they have the transition zones where they enable hungry hearts to find the love, acceptance, and liberty that only comes through what Jesus has done.

Your spiritual biosphere is wherever you are as you promote the best eternal sustainable life in Jesus Christ as His beloved child.