Crayola and the Bible

Coloring was always fun for me as a kid and as a college student and as a graduate student and as a regular person. I always feel so calm when I'm coloring - like I have no care in the world. That's how you feel when you are first learning to color. The only thing you have to concern yourself with is staying in the lines. Now, you can color outside the lines and people call it art or free thinking! Anyway, this is not a philosophy discussion on coloring.

My friend Karisse blogged a few days ago that she was having fun writing out fave passages of Scripture and then doing different things with colored pens or pencils. I remember how cool it was to do manuscript studies in Intervarsity in college, so I thought that would be a good thing to do when I'm traveling, so all I would have to do is bring pens, a journal, and a Bible.

Tuesday's focus was Ps 34 which is an amazing Psalm. I think I first feel in love with it because Chris Gaynor (rookie dad and worship pastor at the Summit) quoted it a lot in worship or in choir practice (the first three verses). I remember one time in church we said the first three verses and we didn't say them with enough feeling so we had to repeat them a couple times till we actually sounded like we meant the verses.

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!

But, with some of the things I'm facing right now - these verses are very dear to me:

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Today, I stayed in Ps 84 - which sorta has been my focus now since I moved down here and had a long talk with Kathy at Crispers one night in St. Augustine.

Ps 84.8-12

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

That passage, especially verse 11, is very hard to hold to when things don't seem to be adding up in your life. NO GOOD THING does He WITHHOLD. There it is, plain and simple. I must TRUST.

So, take some time out, and color - see what God reveals to you in His Word.