Spoken word by the spiritual poet

The word Black has been misused and abused by definition and design for centuries in the Western World. We now find ourselves trying to be supersensitive and culturally aware of how it impacts black people and people of color. This really speaks to the depth and degree of psychological damage caused by corrupting the pure meaning of a word to demean, debase and degrade and segregate a people group in the name of power. In contrast, Black color as a canvas or background was used as a main ingredients to create and capture some of God’s most magnificent miraculous masterpiece moments in all of biblical history. These thoughts came to mind as I reflect on this issue.

“It All Happened In Black”

I know, you are still fighting for Black to be seen, cited and set in its rightful context, rightful commentary and ratified its rightful credence as contrast against the Caucasian’s Western World definition. Today, Black is always called in to question in our conscience with caution and political correctness to ensure of its proper use, proper definition or proper context as though Black is synonymous with Black people, which speaks volumes in terms of the deep-seated psychological adverse effect from its misuse and abuse for centuries. God has already ratified His array of colors in creation and ebony Black is not only part and parcel of this epic package, it plays a prominent part all throughout. In fact, it is in the silence of Black midnight that I pen these pensive thoughts to you as reminder that Black was there before the formation of man and foundation of the world. And so, I cite a few examples from the good book, the good news called the gospel which provides examples where Black is present at the most poignant, prominent and powerful life-changing periods in biblical history.

It was in the beginning of Genesis where creation was given birth in the Black womb of infinite space. It was in the beginning of Genesis where the Holy Spirit hovered above the waters in the Black of dark. It was in the beginning of Genesis where God spoke His first recorded words, “Let there be light”, and the eternal Lamp and Light of all mankind donned His great light against the contrasting infinite Black space. The Black space was called night and the light was called day. And it was in the beginning in the Black of night that God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and from his rib, formed and fashioned Eve–the glory of man and lifegiving spirit through whom all mankind would be born.

The Abrahamic covenant with God took place in the Black of night where God called him outside to behold His sovereign solar system of stars and said, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” It was in the Black of night where God caused a deep sleep to fall on Abraham and terror and Black darkness fell on him. And it was in the Black of night God made a covenant and oath with Himself regarding His promise to Abraham as the smoking fire pot and flaming torch passed between the divided sacrifice of animals.

The LORD appeared to Isaac in the Black of night and reminded him, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your offspring because of my servant Abraham.” It was in the Black of night where Jacob met the God of Bethel. It was in the Black of night where Jacob wrestled with God until the dark of dawn and was given his new name, Israel. And it was in the Black of night where God said to Jacob, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.”

Every firstborn man-child of Egypt was struck down by the LORD in the Black of midnight, if He did not see the bloodstain mark on the lintel and the two doorposts of every home. It was in the Black of night that emancipation proclamation came to the children of Israel. It was in the Black of night that the Israelites began to cross the Red Sea with the firewall of God as their rearguard. It was on the mountain of God where He who dwells in unapproachable light was shrouded in Black clouds, Black smoke, and Black thick darkness, peals of lightening, rolling thunder with fire and trumpeting sounds which herald His awe-inspiring unspeakable glorious presence. And it was Solomon who said, “The LORD said that he would dwell in total darkness.” In that same darkness, the LORD appeared to Solomon and replied, “and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

It was in the Black of night that the three wise men followed yonder star to little town of Bethlehem where Jesus Christ was born. It was in the Black of night where shepherds were staying in the fields keeping watch when the angel appeared and said, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” The Lion of Judah, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, breathed his last words, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”, and laid down his life in the Black of dark with power and He raised it up again at the Black of dawn with power on the third day as He said He would to fulfill all the Law and Prophets, the Psalms and all righteousness. And it is under the Black shadow of the Almighty, the secret place of the Most High where we abide for our sanity, serenity and security.

Black is bold, beautiful and beloved and breathtakingly perfect in every way, just like all colors created by God. So, let us not accept the distortion, deception and delusion of historical lies that Black is harmful, hostile, threatening, illegal, and evil or otherwise. As it all happened in Black.