Earth Day provides us with an intentional day of the calendar year to celebrate the beauty of Earth locally and globally. Many focus their celebration efforts on how each of us can make a difference to help care for creation. Some are faith-based initiatives. Others are scientific or governmental, with many tool kits and online resources available for individuals, families, and organizations to act together.
Here are some suggestions for using Bible references and Christian music to celebrate all that God created, how “good” it is, and how we might fulfill God’s desire for us to follow Adam and Eve in caring for creation through artistic expressions—not just on Earth Day, but any day!
Earth Day inspiration from the Bible
Genesis 1:1–2:3
Read the first biblical account of creation, pausing to celebrate what God created each day!
Go outside to literally stand near or look at an example of what God created and take a photo of it. Repeat the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” Say a prayer thanking God for your favorite thing about it and ask God to help you care for it. Share your photos with others online or create a simple book as a reminder that God wants and helps you to care for creation.
Genesis 2:4–23
Read the second biblical account of creation and celebrate all that God created from the ground, including man and woman whom God put in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. Adam and Eve were the earth’s first caretakers. Paint a rock and place it in a garden as a reminder of God’s creation and your role as caretaker.
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord by reading this psalm for God’s universal glory! Read it aloud at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and before you go to bed. Create a sound scape by pausing after the word of anything that makes a sound—and then make the sound! Record your sound scape or call a family member or friend and perform it for them.
Hymns, songs, and Earth Day
“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”
Sing this familiar song together and add your own verses highlighting your favorite things in creation! Search online for an ASL video dictionary for your words or create your own motions. One of my favorites is www.aslpro.com because it includes religious signs too.
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
Create a Praise the Lord poster to hang on your door or in your window for others to see. Draw all the things the Lord of all has created or look for images online and create a slide show set to the words of the hymn. Use it as a screen saver as a sign of your “grateful praise.” Sparkhouse’s sister imprint, Beaming Books, has a beautiful illustrated picture book based on this song. Find it online here.
“Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord!”
Inside and outside, look for things God created and sing a song of praise for each one! How many different things can you find and praise? Find big things, little things, quiet things, loud things, things up high and things down low, things that are fast and things that are slow, things that are every color of the rainbow! Create a meal of foods God created and sing the song as your table grace.
God created a wonderful world and all that is in it is good—including you!
Thank you, Lord, for these many good gifts. Help us to recognize, praise, and care for all you have made. Amen!
