Tuesday / God our Light
Read Revelation 22:1-5 (NLT)
Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.
Think
I have noticed that gray cloudy days are very common in the fall in New Jersey. And despite the beauty of changing leaves, the gray skies often depress me. But I recently noticed something that made the dreariness of fall a little easier to accept. It occurred to me that the colors of the trees are so much more noticeable when the sun is hiding behind a cloud. It’s almost as if the bright sunlight on the colored leaves dazzled my eyes and I couldn’t really see the colors that were there.
It can be the same in my life. When life is good and easy, I don’t always notice the presence of Jesus walking with me. But, in my dark times, when my world is gray and the light seems hidden, that’s the time the loving care and compassion of God is most obvious. I can see God working so much more clearly when I’m not dazzled by the joy of the sunlight. God’s true colors stand out when I am in the midst of fear, pain, longing and trouble, despair and doubt.
The reading today comforts me when I’m suffering. I’m reminded that there will be a day when I’ll no longer notice if there are clouds or the sun shining brightly in the sky. I can look forward to that day when God himself will be my light.
Pray
Oh faithful, never-changing Lord, I will keep my promises to you, and I’ll offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. You rescued me from darkness; you kept my feet from slipping on a treacherous path. Keep showing me the truth of living in your colorful Presence, Lord. Keep me walking in your life-giving light. Amen.
Do
Do you like to color with crayons, colored pencils, felt-tip markers? Did you enjoy it as a child, but you “grew out of it”? Well, it’s time to rediscover the joy of putting colors on paper. Get yourself some colored pencils or markers, either a set you already own or something new. They don’t have be anything fancy or expensive, just make sure you have a good selection of colors. Then get a piece of paper and make yourself comfortable. Try drawing a few leaves, then color them in—anyway you like, bold reds or greens, yellow or orange or blue. If you’re more comfortable coloring in a picture, try either of these websites for printable pages: https://www.justcolor.net/search/?q=autumn+leaves or http://www.twineandtable.com/coloring-in-the-lines/.
However you do it, spend some time at it. Take your time and think about your color choices. Which colors appeal to you the most and why? Thank God for the autumn colors that return faithfully every year. Thank God for God’s faithful love.
The View from Mt. Hope 