A lot of times I’m drawn to the ocean, river, or lake. It gives me an opportunity to relax and contemplate the events of life that have unfolded. Recently, I was able to take a trip to the beach over Labor Day weekend. Sure there were traces of a former hurricane that showed, but it did not deter the moment. God still showed.
While en-route to this quick getaway, a conversation took place. Not one you could hear with your ears or see with your eyes, but an internal matter. Yes, this one took place on the inside while driving the many miles to get there.
Often when a storm is brewing and the sun is shining, if we take a moment, we can see a magnificent feature on display in the sky, a rainbow. The cause and effect of it is not what this letter is about, but know the full spectrum is beautiful when it appears. We can see reds, yellows, blues and a few more colors. It is a grand design and promise that was made between God and His creation many many years ago (Genesis 9: 13-15).
Its this rainbow that draws my attention to the color of God. In the beginning, God made man in His Image or likeness. Man was there to rule over His creation and became God’s representative on Earth (Genesis 1: 26-27). Through the years and many descendants later the skin tones of man changed and became as expressive as the colors of the rainbow.
Embedded in the first man were the beginnings of all things. Adam and Eve had distinct children that shared commonalties and differences at the same time. They had son-ship and promise, but they also had choices. Some chose poorly while others favored better. Needless to say, the boys of Adam were unique individuals as one served the ground, the other animals and the third served God (Genesis 4).
God’s presence had been around in the garden and He would call out to His creation. I can only imagine Cain and Abel hearing the Lord stirring in the garden and bringing an offering of their livelihood to Him on the edges. This was due to Adam’s sin; they weren’t permitted to reenter the garden (Genesis 3: 23-24). Then Seth came along and we learn of a change in humanity.
It was during one of the offerings that Cain was tempted by sin and struck his brother down. God banished Cain from His presence and as such this caused another rift in mankind (Genesis 4: 1-16). But a little while later as Seth came into being, mankind began reaching out to God on their own (Genesis 4: 25-26). This leads me to think that Seth was a man of ministry.
In all of His Creation God’s expressions are found. His signature can still be found today in you! Don’t get hung up on the things of the earth and fleshly desires, but get caught up in God! It was He who took away the penalty of sin and death. It was He who arose from the dead. It was He who walked to Emmaus with his disciples and wasn’t known until He broke the bread (Luke 24: 13-31).
God’s color is always changing. He is more than any one person can comprehend. His glory displays in ways we fail to see and understand. Our constraints can not see who He is in all His glory. We have to be patient as we tread our own Emmaus walk and hope our eyes are opened at the right time to see Him.
Godspeed, The Journeyman
Ps. Today’s story comes from an understanding that we don’t see all completely. Paul described it in a letter this way: “for we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away (I Corinthians 13: 9-10).”
Comments