Now is the time.... To Reach for the Promise

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13

The rainbow has become the sign used by kindergartens, businesses, philosophical groups, but rarely by churches. In fact some Christians have become suspicious of anything with a rainbow sign. I think that is a shame because the rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant to his people. Whenever I see a rainbow in the sky my heart is always reminded of God’s love and promises and it causes praise to rise from my heart to His.

There are times in life when we have to more actively reach for the promises of God than others; times when it’s a battle to remember and hold onto those promises. These are the times that exercise our faith and show what we are made of. In these times the psalms become a great place to meditate and take encouragement from. Many of the psalms (and many of my own poems) have been written from or during times of great difficulty and grief.

As I wrote the last paragraph I got a call to pray for a young couple whose lives will be impacted by loss. My heart goes out to them but I am most thankful for their strong faith, knowing that they have the promises of God’s comfort, strength and plans for their good to draw on at this time. The fight will be on, though, as they work through their grief and try to understand why’.

When bad things happen our first cry is usually “Why God, why?” It is a natural response to something we cannot understand, and it’s okay to ask the question so long as we realise that, this side of heaven, we may never have the answer. When we have asked the question it is then time to turn to God’s word for comfort and strength. The knowledge that He is my Father who loves me and is committed to me and no matter what catastrophes life can bring, His love will not change or diminish in strength. God is for me, so who can be against me.

I love the confession of the psalmist in Psalm 27:13 – 14 where he says, in the face of difficulty, “I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." That is, on this earth. Then he encourages himself, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Sometimes we just have to reach out for that promise, take hold of it and wait. Can you do that?

Prayer: Loving Father, please help me to grasp the promise and comfort from your word that I need today. Help me to confess your faithfulness and speak your truth, for your word, O Lord endures forever. Amen