When I heard that the topic for this month was colours, I got very excited. Happy thoughts rushed through my mind. I sat down for a few minutes and allowed my imagination to drift into the world of beautiful colours. White made me close my eyes and I felt peaceful; I would have enjoyed writing on holiness or purity. Black made me think of all the tough times I have been through, but learned life-changing and meaningful lessons; I smiled in confidence at how much I can write on the colour black. Purple would have been fun too! I almost made up my mind, but then an annoying streak in me challenged me to write on a colour that I’m not fond of. That was the end of my colourful day dreaming.
I had the freedom to write on any colour, but the colour I couldn't get off my mind was green. The feeling was similar to that of a song you don't like getting stuck in your head for a whole day. I wrestled with myself but agreed to take up my own challenge. Words like gross, Green Arrow (the DC Comic character), broccoli and all the vegetables that I do not like came into my head. What can be good about the colour green? (No offence to the people who like it!)
Finally, for a day I forgot about the colour green. That is, until I read Genesis 8. Noah had been on the ark for days, weeks and months. Noah and his family were facing something that had never happened on earth, something that occurred for the first time in the history of human existence. They floated on the flooded waters for days, with no sign of life outside the ark. Finally, after much waiting, Noah sees hope in the form of an olive leaf brought back to him by a dove! In the midst of deadness, hopelessness and no sign of life – that tiny green leaf was the sign of hope and new life.
I’ve read Genesis 8 multiple times in the past but my day ended with a renewed hope. I must admit, I wasn’t troubled by the thought of colour green any more.
The next day I was in the park with my daughter and as I saw her running on the grass with beautiful spring flowers around, I was reminded of Psalm 23:2:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
David (author of this Psalm) was a shepherd by profession before becoming a king. He knew that Israel was a desert land. And He talks about green pastures. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s supernatural provision and refreshing in the midst of dryness and barrenness. David could have used other words like shelter or a house but instead he uses green pastures.
Just like a shepherd refreshes his flock by leading them to a green pasture in a dry desert land after a long day of walk and climb, God refreshes his people by leading them to green pastures after long, dry and weary spells. This green pasture to me symbolises God’s provision, comfort at its best, happiness, rest in God’s presence and a time of refreshment.
Curiosity was building in me and it made me search more. I was quite happy to find so many verses that talk about olive trees, green pastures, the vine and branches -- all these pictures, beautiful with the colour green. I realised that in the past, I kept looking for the “deeper” meaning of the text and ignored the obvious beauty of the colour green.
Did I just say “beauty of the colour green”? Well, I confess that I am pleasantly surprised on discovering how beautiful this colour is and what it symbolises at times.
Another verse that caught my attention is Psalm 52:8: “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.” I think the colour green in this text symbolises a life that is no ordinary life. It’s the life of a person who is found in God’s house, flourishing, thriving and bearing much fruit. I found myself desiring to be that “green” olive tree.
I spent one whole day reading scripture passages that mention the colour green and I enjoyed it like a kid in a candy store discovering different-flavoured candies! I feel I won my own challenge. I learned to look a little deeper into this beautiful world of colours. As I end this article, the colour green has not become my favourite colour but it sure has refreshed me.
Photo Credit : Unsplash
Thank you Janice for penning down your thoughts on something as simple as a colour, beauty lies in the simplicity of things, yet drawing us to marvel at our Creator.