God-Colored Souls

Creation is filled with color. I have long been in love with the hues of fall, the brilliance of spring, and the black and whiteness of winter and the golden hues of summer. When my friend quoted this verse from The Message to me, I was immediately intrigued. (Matthew 5:16)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV)

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. (The Message)

An artist, Mary Alice Rhode, is enjoying the vibrant Heaven-colors. She once told me that any painting is always a combination of shadow and light. Our lives are the same – a combination of shadow and light. We see light as a substance that is infinite. Light is a never-ending link to life. Not the fragile man-made substitute for light, but God created light of the moon, the stars and the sun.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. I John 1:5

No matter how skilled, no matter the number of colors in his crayon box or palette of paints, an artist is unable to truly replicate the God-colors we see in creation. The verse from Psalm 19:1 says, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

When we choose to follow Jesus, our hearts become a palette for the Master Painter to create in us a heart of God-colors. We begin to reveal the God-colors in our actions, our thoughts, our attitudes for these contain the attributes of God.

God-colors are spirit-deep and communicated through the spirit. What physical color can one ascribe to love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control? (Galations 5:22-23)

Have we ever thought of the spirit-colors we emit? Are they the brilliant God-colors or simply shadows of what could be? Spirit-colors are not the skin colors that tend to divide, but spirit-colors that draw hearts together. A rainbow-aura of color that draws other hearts to our Creator.

This past week I saw God-colors all around me in action. The basic God-color is love. Our two sons and their wives spent three eleven and twelve hour days helping us prepare to move. The laughter and joy of family permeated the air about us. Although my body ached from unaccustomed activity, my heart was filled with peace that comes from the Lord. The sweetness of sacrifice of time and effort of our family extends to our church family as they responded to a need to haul trash away.

I thought about the different names for God. And each attribute gives a song of praise, bathed in a God-color of compassion, forgiveness and mercy.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. Psalm 47:6

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. Psalm 18:32

But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” Psalm 31:14

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”Psalm 46:10

Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Psalm 48:10

What is the God-color of peace?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27