God’s Color Palette

Have you ever thought of God’s color palette? Looking about, you see the cool blues of the skies and the ocean. You take a breath and relax when surrounded by the abundant warm greens of grass and trees.

Colors are active; they tell a story by evoking a mood or feelings. They enhance our lives and delight our senses.

Thinking of color, I went to the Word and discovered something fresh. The Hebrew word for color focuses not on Creation but mentions manna being the color of bdellium, and then it focuses on the Lord Jesus and the four living creatures.

What is Bdellium?

Bdellium is semi-transparent or whitish oleo-gum resin. As a precious stone, there are suppositions it might have been like a white pearl.

However, in Genesis 2:12, bdellium is linked with gold – which is more amber in color, and with onyx – which has a black base with a white upper layer, may appear blue or gray or even opaque, or even have a brown base with bands of red or yellow.

Yet, Exodus 16:14 compares manna to hoar frost – which is white in color. So let’s stick with white for manna.

What Is Color?

When I think of white, I immediately think of something I learned when young – that white is the presence of all colors, while black is the absence of color.

A great little soundbite. But according to physics, it isn’t exactly true, as color is about wavelengths of light.

Now hang with me here. Children love to hang a prism up to the sunlight to create a rainbow.

As you shine light through a prism, it creates a rainbow of colors caused by wavelengths of light being refracted at different angles through the prism according to its color.

So, color is all about light. In the absence of light, an object appears black. In contrast, white is a mixture of the visible wavelengths of light.

The Healing Power of Color

Now imagine your life without color. How barren and hopeless it would be if all existed as a nondescript vagueness. Think of the definition and light that color brings to everything. I love color. It is a gift from God that endows life with richness.

As you relax, ponder the color variation in birds and butterflies, of flowers and leaves on a tree. Consider the seasons; each has its colors and moods of life. Find joy in the changing faces of oceans, seas, and rivers with their multiplicity of color and tones.

If color did not exist, sickness would abound; all would be empty and hopeless.

What color resonates with you when you feel peaceful? Try to introduce it into your activities, for with color comes healing and life. Color brightens your day because color reflects light. As it overflows and spills onto everything in abundance, it stimulates you to enjoy life and engage in creative acts.

Jesus is The Light