Government Shutdown Threatens National Parks—and Our Call to Care for God’s Creation

As Congress teeters on the edge of another government shutdown, one of the most immediate casualties may be America’s national parks. These treasured landscapes—mountains, deserts, forests, and rivers—are more than tourist destinations. They are sacred spaces, entrusted to us as part of God’s creation. When lawmakers fail to pass a budget, the caretaking of these lands suffers.

In past shutdowns, the pattern has been clear: park staff are sent home, gates close or remain unmonitored, and essential maintenance halts. Without the dedicated rangers and workers who protect these sites, restrooms overflow, trash piles up, and fragile habitats are left vulnerable. In some cases, visitors have strayed off designated trails, damaged natural features, or left behind waste that harms wildlife. What should be holy ground too often becomes neglected or abused.

Some states have tried to fill the gap by temporarily funding operations to keep certain parks open. But this patchwork approach cannot match the full resources of the federal government. Even short lapses create long-term harm—backlogged restoration projects, halted conservation research, and erosion of the very ecosystems that make these places unique.

For communities near the parks, especially rural towns that rely on tourism, the economic consequences are swift. Hotels, restaurants, and small businesses see cancellations and revenue loss. Families planning once-in-a-lifetime visits to encounter God’s handiwork face disappointment at closed gates.

But the deeper tragedy is spiritual. Scripture teaches us that “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). To neglect these lands is to neglect our responsibility as stewards. A shutdown is not simply a budgetary squabble—it is a decision to leave God’s creation unprotected.

As believers, we are called to both prayer and action. Pray that lawmakers find the wisdom and courage to keep our parks funded and our workers employed. Raise your voice in advocacy—contact representatives, support organizations defending public lands, and remind our leaders that protecting creation is not optional, it is essential.

National parks are living testaments to God’s beauty. They are classrooms where our children can learn reverence for creation, and sanctuaries where weary souls find renewal. Allowing them to suffer from political gridlock is a failure of stewardship.

We cannot afford to let partisan fights turn into scars on the land. Protecting parks means protecting the very gifts of God that remind us of His glory and majesty.