A family member from the prairies recently visited us and it was not only a delightful time together, her constant remarks prompted this week’s article. “Just look at those colours,” she’d repeat regularly and often. She was right, they were spectacular.
A sky-blue expanse of water (I had to correct her a few times, from our windows we view the Pacific Ocean, not a “big lake”), tree leaves in vibrant yellows, oranges and reds and brilliant sunsets that I too often take for granted. The colours of our world.
Although most definitely more pronounced in the fall months, autumn has its own set of beauty: our grass stays green almost year-round; flowers are continuing to bloom at the time of this writing; and, on those somewhat dreary fall and winter months even overcast skies come in various shades of grey.
All this got me thinking of how we often describe our lives in terms of colours. When we’re sad and downcast we talk about being blue. When embarrassed, our faces are red. Unexpected bad news or even a winter flu bug can leave our faces ashen grey. Sports teams are associated with the various colours of their uniforms and we expect to see nursing and medical staff in the emergency rooms of our local hospitals in their white or conservatively-coloured uniforms.
Reading through the Old Testament, I couldn’t miss the silver associated with the Tabernacle. Robes placed on Jesus at His death were purple. Heaven is described as having streets of gold while The Psalmist David blesses us by reminding us that our Good Shepherd makes us to lie down in green pastures. Focusing on Calvary, we are reminded that the death of Christ offers us life-changing colour transformation.
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow….” (Isaiah 1:18)
Hallelujah!
