The Mystery of Orange

“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.” --John Calvin

When the sun set the other evening, there was a precious, short time when it shone between the cold cloud-line and the treed-horizon. The sun made the most of its single moment that day, setting as a thin, bright orange wall of color between grey clouds and darkening trees. As my wife and I walked, we became burnished, and every plant, sign, and house shone with the influence of the sunset. We were glorified by the incident of nature's timing.

Later, I think, how surprising that I cannot find "orange" in the NRSV translation of the Bible. Something of beauty, truth and goodness exceed our Scripture's expressions. As John Calvin once wrote, “Man with all his shrewdness is as stupid about understanding...the mysteries of God, as an ass is incapable of understanding musical harmony.” The mystery of Orange--and of much, much else from God will be unknown to us. Thank heaven!