A Call to Worship: Using Pinterest Differently

Did you know you can use your Pinterest boards to promote worship and inspire others? I stumbled upon this idea simply because I have many interests. I collect photos of flowers, birds, rocks and minerals, animals, insects, sea creatures, etc. I look back over my boards and realized the sheer variety of beautiful created things. I am moved to worship God for His greatness. So many different flowers! What a variety of birds! God is great! God is awesome! “Thank you, Lord, for showing your greatness in flowers. Thank You for showing us You are the great Designer. Thank You for leaving no doubt as to creation. Statistically it’s impossible to have this many varieties of any one flower—roses, lilies, or orchids. Thank You, Lord, for caring about every little petal. Thank You for your attention to detail, for Your creativity in colors.” I love the green flowers! Wow, just look at those delicate cactus flowers! Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these (Luke 12:27).

I go on and on in praise and awe.

When I look at all the little birds—and big birds, and swimming, diving, and paddling birds—and see how they care for their young, weave nests, borrow nests, etc. I am moved to praise. “Lord, how many little birds! Look at their feathers, colors, and different body shapes. I think of their songs! Dear Lord, You created birds and fish on the fifth day of creation, thank you for these beautiful creatures that you created for your glory. You taught them how to feed themselves, build nests, and care for their young. You gave them the ability to fly—or not—and swim, dive, capture food . . . . I praise You, Lord, for Your marvelous creation!” Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father (Matthew 10:29).

I marvel at the variety of rocks and minerals and gemstones. The colors! The different shapes of natural crystals! The beauty of combinations and lusters! Why did God make rocks and minerals absolutely beautiful? “Lord, I’m in awe of your mighty creation! The variety is so amazing! I didn’t even know about some of these, yet You put them in the earth to give testimony to your awesome design. Thank you, Lord!” Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold (Job 28:1-2, 6).

I began my collection of sea creatures a few months ago. If you only look at corals, wow! Such variety! Add fish, jellyfish, sea mammals, neon-colored nudibranches, and deep-sea creatures, and you have a feast for the eyes. Why did God care how He designed animals that are so far down in the depths of the sea? Because He knew that people would marvel over the detail when they found them. But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? (Job 12:7-9)

I go to my board about animals. Some make me laugh! Some are so magnificent that I can only stare at them. I never even knew these critters even existed before: the great green anole (lizard), a giant pangolin (like an armadillo), a takin (goat-antelope), a quokka (something like a marmot), and a bat-eared fox. “Lord, on the sixth day of creation, You spoke, and all of these animals instantly appeared. Porcupines, stags, moose, antelopes, buffaloes, lizards, bears, and furry little friends like dogs and cats . . . . Each has its own inborn habits and instincts, and you’ve covered them in fur and scales. You created them all, Lord! I praise You for all these different, colored, camouflaged, and strange-looking animals. I thank you for pets and livestock. I am in awe again because of Your magnificent creation. I worship You for meeting our human needs by providing many of these animals. Thank You, God!” And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (Genesis 1:24-26).

I have another board. It's called “science and the beauty and design of nature,” which includes macro photos of tiny things, Hubble photos from outer space, seashells, and amazing patterns in nature. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas (Psalm 8:3-8).

God created the earth for man. Adam and Eve were God's magnum opus. He placed them in the Garden of Eden, a paradise prepared especially for them. When they disobeyed God and sinned, the Lord had already put into place the sacrifice of His Son for them. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things . . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (from 1 Peter 1:18-20). It’s too much for our minds to take in, but we praise Him for making a way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

What do you collect on Pinterest? Recipes? (Me, too.) Ideas for home decoration and organization? (Me, too.) Hairstyles and fashion? (Me, too.) In addition, think about choosing some aspect of God’s creation. Collect photos of what you love. Take in the variety, and share your amazing pictures with your family.

And, worship God.

O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9)

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,

and of thy wondrous works (Psalm 145:5).