Earth Day is not a Christian holiday, and its reputation as an occasion for left-leaning political grandstanding may indeed make some Christians leery of celebrating it.
But if we look beyond the political fault lines that have developed around environmental policy, and consider Earth Day as simply an opportunity to express gratitude for the good gift of God’s creation—and perhaps also an opportunity to recommit to good stewardship of this gift—then why shouldn’t Christians join in?
The Earth is the LORD’s after all (Ps. 24:1), so any celebration of the Earth should be a celebration of the God who created, owns, and operates it. If you’re a Christian, then, here are 15 ideas for how you can celebrate Earth Day in ways that direct your affections and worship toward the God of creation.
15 Ideas for Earth Day
1. Put your devices away and go outside. Go on a walk in the park, a hike in the mountains, a swim in the ocean, or a stroll on the beach. Think about why, as I have written, “time spent outside in God’s creation is almost always more life-giving and wisdom-enhancing than time spent surfing the web or scrolling through social media.”
2. During your family’s devotions, read Psalm 19 and sing the first stanza of “How Great Thou Art.” Then reflect on how you see God’s glory revealed in his creation, and where you see his power “throughout the universe displayed.”
3. Listen to a song about God’s creation or creatures. Some of my favorites: “Declaring Glory” (Porter’s Gate), “All Creatures of Our God and King” (this version by All Sons & Daughters), “Psalm 19” (Poor Bishop Hooper), “This Wild Earth” (Young Oceans).
4. Start reading a book written by a Christian that celebrates or explores nature from a theological perspective. Some of my favorites: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard;The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry; Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis; Pollution and the Death of Man by Francis Schaeffer.
5. Watch this “Good Faith Debate” between Jake Meador and Brian Mattson on how Christians should care about the environment. Though I probably side with Jake’s perspective more, I think both of them make good points. It’s a really fruitful conversation.
6. Listen to Tim Keller’s sermon on Genesis 9:1-17, “Lord of the Earth” (preached at Redeemer on Dec. 10, 2000). It’s one of my favorite Keller sermons ever and touches on creation care in profound ways.
7. Read Gavin Ortlund’s “20 Reasons why Christians should care for the Environment.”
8. Take a notepad and find a quiet spot in nature to just sit for a period of time (10 minutes, 30 minutes, whatever you can spare). Could be a local stream, pond, or beach; a garden or park in your town; or just under a tree in your backyard. Write down as much as you can about what you observe there. If you’re a parent, involve your children and ask them what they see, hear, and observe. Then, reflect on the kind of Creator who would create “handiwork” like this.
9. Lament the politicization of environmental stewardship and ponder how you can break out of the rigid (and foolish) partisan boxes on this issue. I’ve written, for example, about why I am a conservative Christian who is ardently pro-life, pro-family, pro-traditional marriage but also ardently pro-environment. I’ve also written, in The Wisdom Pyramid chapter on nature, about the ways both liberals and conservatives disrespect God’s creation in different ways.
10. Visit a park or nature preserve with family or friends, and give everyone 30 minutes to take one photo each, of the most beautiful and interesting piece of God’s creation they can capture with their camera. Only one photo! Then share your photos with each other and have each person explain why they took their photo of what they did.
11. Make a list of the seven most beautiful places in nature you’ve been in your life. My list: Iguazu Falls (Brazil), Perito Moreno Glacier (Argentina), Icefields Parkway (Canada), Yosemite Valley (California), The Grand Canyon North Rim (Arizona), Table Mountain (South Africa), Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming).
12. Make a list of seven beautiful aspects of nature you observe in your own backyard, today. My list: blooming trumpet vines, ripening blueberries, the scent of orange blossoms, the scent of jasmine, bougainvillea on trellis, purple salvia about to pop, unpicked avocados on high branches of our tree.
13. Watch a movie or documentary that celebrates God’s creation. Some of my favorites: The Salt of the Earth (Wim Wenders documentary); The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick film); Encounters at the End of the World (Werner Herzog documentary); Into the Wild (Sean Penn film), The Riot and the Dance (N.D. Wilson documentary).
14. Go to a farmer’s market or farm shop and buy seasonal, organic ingredients. Make a meal with your family that centers around what’s in season and fresh. Taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps. 34:8).
15. Garden. Head to your local nursery, pick up a few new flowers or shrubs, and plant them somewhere in your garden or in a pot. Celebrate the miraculous diversity of plant life God created!