The law is like a checkerboard; it is painted black and white. Applying the law to life is what law experts do when they meet in court. The challenge lies in the nature of the beast – people are not black and white. They are not one way or the other. Guess what: Neither is the Lord. Even though His 613 commandments summarized in the Law of Moses could make Him look like a law expert, I do not think we do Him justice to confine Him to the law alone. If we do, our view of God is black and white.

David’s sigh of relief as he breathed his prayer is like a splash of color:

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”

We need to get familiarized with the diverse color nuances of the Lord. David could tell you all about it. He is no model citizen. If we look into his life story we will find that he did many great and noble things, but he also committed murder in cold blood to protect his interests. And yet, even when David got caught red-handed, he relied on God’s judgment rather than on people’s judgment. People have a tendency to condemn. God doesn’t. God is a God of color and He understands the subtleties of a human being. God is our judge without being judgmental.

The best way to describe the effect God has on my life is like a fog lifting from the valley. Becoming aware of God, the fog slowly lifts. The first things I detected about God were His outlines, His do’s and don’ts. But as any friendship, my relationship with God has matured over the years. I study Him like a painting to see His nuances and subtleties and I see more than just His outlines when I look at Him now.

Sticking to a world of black and white just because it feels more defined, we are definitely missing out. Life with God is no walk in the park, but it is rich; it is a rainbow of experiences. In His presence we don’t lack a thing.