Reflections by the Pond
October 8, 2003

Colors

Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?
"It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
Isaiah 63:1 nasbu

It is hard for the human mind to grasp what is referred to as God's "glory." In the sterile environment of the theological classroom, the word for God's glory may be defined as meaning abundance or honor, dignity or praise. But those synonymns fall far short of the creative, supernatural magnificence that so stunned the few ancient prophets who experienced even a portion of that terrible majesty.

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face...
Ezekiel 1:26-28 nasbu

If it is true that God has included some of Himself in His creation--and it is (Romans 1:20)--then perhaps we catch a glimpse of His glory in the tapestry of our seasonal colors. Our God is creative indeed, and He has used some of His artistry in the multi-hued palette of this world. The chilling snows of winter are white, the ice a transparent wonder bordering on John's "sea of glass like crystal" that surrounds God's heavenly throne. The spring includes every shade of fresh green, and every cheerful purple and pink, yellow and white in its blooms. Summer greens deepen and linger, peppered by the less-fragile blooms that favor warmer days drenched in golden sunshine.

But out of all the seasons, autumn seems to be the most ambitious, for it holds within it many of the the colors of all the other seasons, splashing an extravagant, if short-lived rainbow across the landscape. It is as if during the rest of the year God carefully doles out His colors here and there, painting specifics according to His timely sensibilities. But as the year wears on He discovers that there is far more than enough colors remaining on His palette, so as autumn arrives He dumps out everything that is left, filling the world with all the many flavors of His exquisite beauty.

God's glory is not just something powerful and awe-inspiring. It is not just a quality that demands honor and dignity, even praise. God's glory is something beautiful, and some of His beauty--if even just a glimmer--lies all around us in the many colors of the seasons.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.
(Folliott S. Pierpoint)