hello my name is social distance in today's encouragement from our daily bread I share a personal story in the privilege of stewardship
 while on vacation my husband and I walked along the beach and noticed a large Square patch of sand blocked off by a makeshift fence a young man explained that he worked around the clock with a team of volunteers committed to guarding the eggs and eat sea turtles Nest once the hatchlings emerge from their nest the presence of both animals and humans threaten and decrease their chance of survival even with all our efforts he said scientists estimate that only one out of every 5000 hatchlings reach adulthood
 these Bleak numbers didn't discourage this young man however his passion for selflessly serving the hatchling deep in my desire for respecting and protecting sea turtles now I wear a sea turtle pendant that reminds me of my god-given responsibility to care for the creatures he's made
 when God created the world he provided a habitat in which each creature could live in Thrive when he created His Image Bears God intended for us to rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground he helps us serve him as responsible stewards who use our god-given authority to care for his vast creation
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from Genesis 1 verses 22 21 and verses 24 to 28
 and God said let the water Teem with living creatures and let birds fly above the Earth across the Vault of the sky
 so God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with what's the water teams and that moves about in it according to their kinds and every Winged Bird according to its kind and God saw that it was good and now picking up at verse 24
 and God said let the land producing living creatures according to their kinds the livestock the creatures that move along the ground and the wild animals each according to its kind and it was so God made the wild animals according to their kinds of the livestock according to their kinds and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds and God saw that it was good
 then God said let us make Mankind in our image in our likeness so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground
 so God created Mankind in his own image in the image of God he created them male and female he created them God bless them and said to them be fruitful and increase in number fill the Earth and subdue it rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground
let's pray
 loving Creator and sustainer of all please show us tangible ways we can fulfill our responsibilities as stewards of your creation and Inspire others to care for the world you've entrusted to us in Jesus name we pray amen
 today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries