What Color is God?

I was walking my second son into his class yesterday and he was telling me about some of the people in his class. He's beginning to notice that people are different shades of color and he was wondering why. He told me about the little brown girl and the red boy. He told me about the white boy and the yellow girl. And then he asked me the question I pose to you: What color is God?

I don't know about you, but I've heard this question before and seen the answers people give to it. God is white and if you don't beleive it, look at the picture of Jesus on the wall at the church. He's got fair skin, light brown hair and blue eyes. That works if you're in a white church. Others might say God is black and if you don't believe it, look at the picture of Jesus on the wall at the church. He's got dark skin, dark, curly hair and black eyes. That works if you're in a black church. On it goes. I've seen portrayals of God as an old white man with the big white beard. I've seen images of Jesus stained with blood. I've even seen Native American depictions of God. So....what color is God?

Admittedly, I often miss such teachable moments, but praise God I didn't miss this one. When he asked me what color God was, I didn't miss a beat and told him that God is the creator of color and that he is a little bit of every color. That's why in the Bible (Revelation 5:9-10) people of every color from every nation, tribe and language group will gather in heaven and praise God. So...what color do you think God is?

The Shema and Thunderstorms

The Shema (pronounced: she-ma) is the Hebrew word for hear or listen. It is the first word of that famous passage in Deuteronomy where the Lord says, "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one..." (Deut. 6:4-9). It is in this passage where the Lord commands His people to speak to their children about the Lord when they go out, when they come in, when they lie down and when they rise up. In short, they were to speak to their children about the Lord all the time. The passage is still sound for today and those who wish to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Parents should teach their children about the Lord.

So...we're at my oldest son's first football game. (He made an amazing tackle at the very beginnig of the game and made his old man proud and roused the whole stand with his amazing athletic ability.) About six plays or so into the game the thunderstorm that had been off in the distance made it's way to the field where we were playing and promptly shut down our football experience for the day. Once the game was finally called and rescheduled the collective whine of every 7 and 8 year old boy could be heard over the thunder. "Why can't we play?" "It's just rain?" "We shouldn't have to stop?" etc.... I saw parents dragging children away. I saw parents and children running for their lives to escape the rain. I saw all manner of response to the calling of the game (not to mention every manner of response to the calling in the game).

What I didn't see a lot of was a Deuteronomy 6 response to the calling of the game. Admittedly, it was until we were well away from the field and the press of the moment that I realized the Deuteronomy 6 potential of our precipitious fortune. So what's the point? The point is to LISTEN. God speaks to us from His Word. God speaks to us by His Spirit. God speaks to us through His creation. God speaks! Are we listening? Better yet...are we teaching our children to listen?

Shrimping for Jesus

I had the wonderful privilege of participating in a shrimping expedition sponsored by IronMan Outdoors Ministry. You can check out their website at www.ironmanoutdoors.org. There were 11 guys from various places around the southeastern US who converged on Charleston Harbor and Bulls Bay for two days of outstanding shrimping. Other than catching almost a four boat limit on shrimp, we enjoyed God's creation and fellowship with one another. We shrimped the harbor on Friday night. Can I tell you how beautiful the full moon reflecting on the undulating waves of the harbor was? There was a steady breeze that kept the skitters at bay and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the lights of the Battery in Charleston off in the distance. We shrimped Bulls Bay on Saturday and saw porpoises, shrimp, fish, thunderstorms in the distance and shrimp trawls in the sea. We had a wonderful trip.

The thing I like about IronMan Outdoors is this: They do what God made them to do and glorify God through out the whole process. These are men who love to hunt and enjoy the creation. I know a lot of guys who hunt and fish, but they never acknowledge God in the pursuit of game or outdoor recreation. These guys at IronMan are great at taking men into the adventure of wilderness and pointing them (not beating them up, mind you) toward God. Truly, I experienced an adventure (I nearly sunk a man's boat!!!!!!!) and I experienced God. What more could a guy want?