What Are Your Colors?
The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. (Nahum 2.3)
I love this season. Not only is fall a time of beautiful colors in nature, but it is also a time when other colors abound - team colors. I love football season! My colors are scarlet and gray (Go Bucks!). Lana is partial to the blue and gold of the Mountaineers. What are your team's colors?
The prophet Nahum had team colors, albeit on a much grander scale. Nineveh was on the opposing "team," having conquered and decimated Jerusalem and all of Judah. But God's team - his mighty men - were coming to defeat the Ninevites and deliver God's people from their oppressors. God's colors, worn by his mighty men and soldiers, were red and scarlet. The blood of their enemies stained their shields and clothing.
Aren't you glad for Jesus - the mighty man of the Lord? Aren't you glad that his shield was made red, and his clothing became scarlet with his own blood? Jesus fought the epic battle, delivering us from defeat and death. Jesus conquered the oppressor of our souls and set us free!
And now, by the grace of God, you can wear the team colors! You can "take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one" (Ephesians 6.16). You can say, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61.10).
Are you sporting the team colors?
Thank you, Lord, that your shield was made red, and your robes were stained crimson by the blood that you shed in defeating the enemy of my soul. With joy and gratitude, I am proud to wear the colors of Jesus! Amen.