Colors of Love

"For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

I've been looking around my house at the decorations lovingly placed in their customary places at this time of year. I notice everything is done in reds, whites, green, silver and gold. That got me to thinking about what those colors mean to me.

Red: the color of our sin. Also, the blood our Savior shed for us.

"Come now, and let us reason together,' saith the LORD, 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..."  
Isaiah 1:18

White: the color of our hearts cleansed from sin by the blood of our Savior. Also, the color of the robe of righteousness with which He will present us without flaw before our Father.

"I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness."  Isaiah 61:10a

Green: Hope in the newness of life, the blessed hope we have in Jesus Christ.

"And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousnesss, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed."  
Titus 2:12-13

Silver and Gold: metals that become precious when they go through the refiner's fire.

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness."
Malachi 3:3

And purification speaks about our faith that is refined and strengthened through trials.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."  
1 Peter 1:6-7

Soon we celebrate the advent of Christ entering this world through the body of a baby. Immanuel--God with us, never to leave us again. As we look around at the beautiful colors that immediately make us think of Christmas, let us remember His birth had a purpose. His death and resurrection accomplished that purpose.

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God."  
1 Peter 1:18-19

May we each be blessed this Holy Season with a deeper appreciation of what God has done for us.

by Marilyn Allison