This month we celebrate St Patrick’s Day with the wearing of green. I like that. Not only do I have Irish blood running in my veins, but I have always loved the color green: Forest green evoking memories of summer camp and high country hiking. Christmas green evoking memories of family gathering and giving around a fragrant evergreen festooned with light and love. As I approach the winter of my life, I particularly love the light, bright shades of unfurling leaves and lush new grass.
My heart yearns for Eternal Spring, a world with no death, everything always fresh, alive, and growing. And Heaven whispers that eternal spring is a heart gift already received.
But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green. —Psalm 92:12-14 (New Living Translation)
I can’t express how revitalizing it is to be launching a new career as an author at this point in my life. My lifetime love of story, of people, of teaching, and of mining for biblical treasure have all come together for one last hurrah in the saga of the Stones of Gilgal. The psalmist has proved prophet.
I discovered one more “Green” connection while working with a branding coach last year. As I slogged through his long list of self-assessment questions, one still stands out above the rest. “Which Star Wars character do you most identify with?” The answer knew I in a flash of green. Yoda, not Princess Leia.
*I have been wielding a lightsaber in the Cosmic War against the Dark Side most of my life and now it is time to pass on my sword skills to younger warriors. I’ve seen the double-edged sword of truth mishandled, wounding where it should rescue. I’ve also witnessed a sword swash unmask the master of deceit, demolishing his carefully crafted plots to lure the innocent into “a way that seems right. . . but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12, Holman Christian Standard Bible) I haven’t needed to live 900 years honing my Jedi master skills like Yoda to learn this: if it is not Love, it is not of God. I have seen the Force move the immovable. The Force is Love, but our human concept, falls far short. Our God is Love and he is greater than anything human minds can conceive of. If you would be a warrior in the Great Cosmic War against evil, make the Word of Truth your daily training manual. This is my prayer for each of you:
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. —Ephesians 3:16-20 (NIV)
Now go sharpen your weapon, and may the Force be with you.