Tag: #ducknc

Color and Light

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

The Holy Spirit sometimes prompts me to discover the characteristics and design of God’s creatures. I recently dug up some information when the sea urchin drifted into my quiet time. Oregon State University places it as one of the oldest animals on Earth. Also known as the porcupine of the sea, the red sea urchin can live to be a hundred. They range in various colors, from green, purple, red, brown, and more. Urchin means hedgehog; you can see a resemblance. Cape Clasp says that sea urchins use their entire body to respond to light without a bone in their body and no obvious eyes. Even their feet aid them. ThoughtCo.com explains that their mouths have multiple jaws and a chewing structure known as Aristotle’s lantern. Their body has a protective cover made from a shell-like system called a test.

            I find their God-given design fascinating, but what struck me the most was their response to light with their whole body. In the ocean’s depths, you may think it is complete darkness. Still, watching Welcome to Earth, hosted by Will Smith on the National Geographic channel, I discovered that the ocean floor is gleaming with light and color, especially at night. To understand the natural chemical process called bioluminescence, Good Living expounds that it illuminates the water like dazzling stars in multiple colors, allowing living things to produce light in their bodies.

            Color and light are related in many ways. We could say we are God’s prism. His light shines into our lives, illuminates us, and reflects into others’ lives, adding colorful blessings. Jesus is the light of the world (The Bible. English Standard Version. John 8:12). He adds color and light to our lives. The Hollman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says Christ’s light expresses grace and truth (1018).

            Turning to colors, white symbolizes purity and joy, red stands for sin or Christ’s blood, and black is usually linked with judgment or death. Purple was a prominent color used to dye garments, such as a robe that Christ and other priests wore in the Tabernacle. Colossae got its name from a Latin word meaning “purple wool” because the area produced and dyed wool (Brand 317).

            There are several similarities between light and color compared to Jesus and our lives. However, returning to the sea urchin, this exciting creature symbolizes our lives, with Christ at the center. Putting Him first, we will naturally gravitate toward His light. We do not have to see Him to feel His presence. He gives us Spiritual armor to wear for protection, with zeal as a cloak, so we can clothe ourselves with Christ (Is. 59:17). We can trust God to lead us through the dark when we feel like we are underwater. His light will guide us. There is a guaranteed inheritance for all who believe in Him. He seals us (protects and preserves) with the promise of the Holy Spirit until we gain possession of it (Eph. 1:13).

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Is. 60:1, emphasis added).

God’s Masterpiece

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

If you have ever hunted for sea glass at the beach while on vacation, you know that it can be a fun pastime, and sometimes it is hard to find. When you find a piece, it is worth the effort. But have you ever thought about how long it takes to form? According to an article by the science website Geology Page, it can take thirty to forty years, or in some cases, a century.

The saltwater weathers the colored glass and adds to the design, giving it a frosted appearance. Many people use it to make jewelry and other unique art pieces. However, it started much differently. It takes time to be a finished and stunning work of art. It likely began as a jagged piece of broken glass from a beverage bottle or other discarded item. You could say it was just a piece of garbage that spent years tumbling around in the water. It was rough around the edges and painful if you cut yourself with it. 

Given our broken nature, this is how we start. Our hearts are rough around the edges, and we cause others pain. Others sometimes discard us as trash, and we end up in a sea of troubled waters. Then God lifts us out of the mire, just as we are. He begins to shape us and smooth out our rough edges. However, like sea glass, it takes time; we are a work in progress – God’s masterpiece. He created us in His image (The Bible. English Standard Version, Gen. 1:27). Although we are not perfect because of sin (Gen. 3:6), He wants us to strive to be more like Jesus.  However, not in our performance (Titus 3:5; Rom. 11:6) but in how we love God and people (Matt. 22:37-39). The Hollman Illustrated Bible Dictionary notes that our good works are insufficient to earn our salvation but will naturally flow from a life of saving faith in Christ (Brand 1669).

Our lives are like shards of brokenness awaiting transformation only accessible through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Like sea glass, sometimes we tumble and fumble around for years before we begin to take shape, as God forms our character and helps us become a beautiful piece of art that the Master delights in blessing so we can be a blessing to others.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17, emphasis added).

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ ” (John 14:6, emphasis added).