Promise

The last few days we have had some crazy spring weather -- even for the Pacific Northwest. Windstorms are knocking down power lines and rain is flooding the streets. Yesterday, as we watched the rain and hail pour out of the sky, I couldn't help but feel disgruntled. Although I usually love the rain, the sound of the rain, the lovely green the rain brings to the earth, all I could feel was contempt. Rain -- and the fifty-degree temperature it brought with it -- was keeping us inside for the second day in a row. I am ready for winter and spring to be done! I want summer!
During this "rainy season" (which tends to last from October to June) I often think of Noah and his ark. How did Noah feel when all he heard for forty days was rain pounding on the roof of the ark? Did he have moments of craziness or was he able to surrender all over to God, the one who was keeping him safe even this moment of absolute destruction? Did he mourn for the souls being lost in the flood, or was he able to remove himself and thank God for saving his wife, sons, and their families?

Like a spoiled child, I sit inside pouting at the rain ruining my day. Then, last night, as I was getting the kids ready for their nightly baths, my son calls me into the living room:

"MOM! Look! It's a rainbow!"



I peek out the window to the fullest, brightest rainbow I have ever seen. And not just a little curve of one. No, we got to see the full bow and all six (six? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and, don't forget, purple, too! -- yes, six!) colors as bright as God intended them to be.

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth...Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
Genesis 9:13,15(b)-16 (NIV)

My spirit automatically calmed and I realized that though the rain -- literal and proverbial -- may pour down, God will never send a flood again. He has given his promise. He is my constant, my all-consuming strength, and my help in time of need. I read this verse this morning and I got stuck on the word "remember." Does God really forget? He is Alpha and Omega -- beginning and end. He was and is and will be. Does he really need a reminder? No. He doesn't, but we do. God, who knows us inside and out, knew us as we were being "knit together in (our) mother's womb." (Psalm 139:13) The God of forever doesn't need reminding. He wants us to turn from ourselves and back to him. He wants us to get on the boat.

What is the rain in your life?
What is the rainbow, the reminder of God's eternal promise, in your life?

Hope

"Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:30-31 (NIV)

This past weekend I found myself playing the part, once again, of the single-mom. My husband was out-of-state for some "man-time." He and a group of his buddies go to California every year to be guys. I don't mind because I'm not very good at being one (a guy), so this is his version of re-charging. They go to baseball games, roller coaster parks to see how many roller coasters they can ride in one day (last year they set their record at 44 roller coasters in one day), and eat nothing but guy food for a whole weekend.

Of course, this means that I am left by myself with the two kids. We are used to be alone during the day -- and a normal day is 12 - 14 hours long -- so this wasn't really a stretch. Unfortunately, my body chose to shut down and take on a sinus infection over this particular weekend. Awesome! Many times over the weekend I pondered the consequences of hiding in my bed and let the kids run amok. You see, the thing with cold medicine is that it requires hours of consecutive sleep.

How many times have I felt that weariness in my soul? Like I just can't go one more day? If one more person needs one more thing from me, if one more creditor calls, if I hear of one more friend hurting...the list can go on and on. When Satan attacks us with self-doubt, hate, loathing, worry, pride, lust, etc, I put my hope (desire) in the Lord. I turn my focus back on Him and allow him to lead my life. When I am focused on him, I find a renewable energy source which helps me fix one more lunch, wipe one more runny nose, and wipe away missing-daddy tears.

*****
My husband arrived back home this morning just long enough to shower and run back out the door to work. The kids are going crazy and I'm driving the car! We are tired and the week has just begun. I look to Him for my comfort and strength.

Faith, part II

I have been a follower of Jesus Christ my whole life -- well, almost. I remember where I was and what I was doing when I asked Jesus "into my heart" (Sunday school-talk for accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior in my life). My mom thinks I was 2 or 3, I say more like 5 or 6. Either way, the memory of standing in front of the hall mirror, hands over my heart and saying, "Jesus, I accept you into my heart" is one of my earliest memories. I was raised in a Christian home and married a Christian man. I go to church on a regular-basis and try to dive into the Word daily.

Does this make my life perfect and serene? Ha! Far from it. I know God, the one true God, has given me eternal life through his son, Jesus Christ. Yet, I still struggle with faith, or trusting that God -- the giver of life, master and creator of everything -- knows what he's doing when it comes to my life. This week, I have had to purposefully say, "God, you know what you are doing. I trust in you."

This morning I was reading in Deuteronomy 31. I realized a theme was present and had to do a quick search for related passages. (I use www.biblegateway.com) When I see a theme present, especially in a given passage, I get a little giddy. Our pastor always points out that God does this when it is really important and he really wants to drive the point home. Well, this week I have seen a similar current flowing through my reading: God will take care of me, no matter what.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV, emphasis mine)

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

God's promise to us: he will never leave us. Never. God is forever, so never is pretty much...well, the opposite end of forever. If you can wrap your mind around, accept the fact, that God is, was, and always will be then it should be easy to move to he will never leave you. I have had some minor trials this week, but nothing that a little mommy-time out couldn't handle (there is a good reason for locks on the bathroom door).

Pick up your Bible and see what you can find in it. Do you see the story of love woven into the tapestry? Do you see God's promise, eternal life, ebbing through pages? I pray you are able to see God's presence in your life today and every day.