Contemplating Dust

Why is dust grey? Most of the time when I clean out the lint trap in the dryer, dust the house, clean out the vacuum, or sweep the floor, it seems that the dust is mostly grey. Everything that makes this dirty dust has some color--maybe even mostly brown, but when it is swept up, it shows up just grey. A strange thing to contemplate.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics (entropy): The amount of energy in the universe available for work is running out. In other words, everything is going from order to disorder, complexity to dust.

“Lift up your eyes to the sky, then look to the earth beneath; for the sky will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die in like manner;” Isaiah 51:6a (NAS)

All this grey dust from our multi-colored world pointedly reminds me of our sins. The blatant sins we commit, the hidden sins, and the sins we may not even notice, are dirty grey in our lives of dust.

“For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 19b (NAS)

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14 (NAS)

“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before You. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro; he bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it." Psalm 39:5-6 (NIV)

When we repent and place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we are washed white as snow.

“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7 (NAS)

“’Come now let us reason together,’ says the LORD, ‘though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.’” Isaiah 1:18 (NAS)

When we finally meet in glory there will be no more dust and our lives will no longer be just a breath or a vapor--there will be no more entropy. And there will be no more sin.

“Lift up your eyes to the sky, then look to the earth beneath; for the sky will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not wane.” Isaiah 51:6 (NAS)

“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before You. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro; he bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:5-7 (NIV)

MARANATHA! Oh, Lord come, quickly!