I was told being an adult would be fun, or maybe I just assumed. But this current state of the world, coupled with one painful diagnosis for a friend, or loss of a family member, well... this doesn't feel "fun". I find myself asking God, "Is this what the rest of my life is going to look like? A front row seat to watching the world go to hell in a handbasket while simultaneously experiencing the heartache of losing the people around me that I love. If this is it, well no thank you! I'd like off the crazy train at the next stop please!"
I feel such a heaviness in my heart from the waves of anguish that seem to hit one after another. They threaten to pull me under for good if I don't soon find sure footing. This distress mocks the jubilance I felt the evening before as I sang praise and thankfulness to my Father for all His goodness over my days. But today, praise? Well, my soul just can't muster the energy.
I get in the car and turn the music on any ways, knowing it is what my heart needs. I will my lips to sing and my ears to hear the truth in the lyrics. Truth that reminds me praise is indeed my weapon against the misery and lies satan would try to bind me to. Truth that calls to mind a hope and victory despite what happens here. That if we live through the storms that come - victory! And if we are swept home - victory! God never loses! Which means we cannot lose either. I feel a peace washing over my spirit and the joy of the Lord strengthening my resolve to worship and be thankful no matter the state of the world or the suffering found in it. It's then I notice the rainbow. The perfectly placed and clear as a crystal rainbow in the hazy morning sky.
More than the science of light refraction, or a pot of gold fairly tail, rainbows are a promise. They come so frequently now, and the story long forgotten of a God and His purpose in gifting us these glorious displays of His love, that we brush them off as just another ordinary occurrence. Unlike my children who crane their necks to see the beauty and gaze in wonder at the display, we forget the glory of the God who paints this image for us. It's the same God who does not forget to shield, protect and provide a way even in the most hopeless circumstances. A God who loves deeply every creature and creation. A God who always has a plan. This is the same God who offers us the same reminder He did to an old man with great faith thousands of years ago. A promise of love He has not yet broken.
And as I hear my kids fighting over where the treasure may be hidden, I wipe a tear from my eye overcome by God’s love for me. I know the greatest treasure will not be found on the other side of the vibrant colors, but right in this moment, in the struggle and the sorrow. The treasure is knowing whose we are and how uniquely and deeply He loves us. It is found in anchoring our hope and faith to His word. Trusting that everything that we face comes sifted through the hands of our gracious Father who has a good plan and purpose for our life. And by being sure that absolutely nothing is wasted when we surrender it to Him.
It is so easy to forget this world is temporary. Our time here mimics that unpleasant vacation we wish we could forget. The one where we got lost, car sick and ended up at the grimy hotel that looked nothing like the pictures we saw online. Our home, the place we long for, that's Heaven. We won't ever fit or be comfortable here. And that is good news! Because we were never meant to. Our only part in this season, that will pass like a blink, is to bring glory to God. To shine as lights to the world. The best way we do this is by reflecting Him. Just as the rainbow reflects His majesty and turns our eyes to Him. So, should we also be a reflection of His love, turning the hearts of the ones around us towards Heaven. This is easy when the sun shines bright and the waves roll in slow. But when the storm surge threatens to pull us out to sea, our only security is to have already built our foundation on the rock of ages. This is the place true hope can be found, our victory in Jesus. And so, I raise my voice with confidence and sing, Great is your faithfulness to me…
“Though the storms may come, and the winds may blow, I’ll remain steadfast. And let my heart learn when You speak a word it will come to pass. Great is your faithfulness to me! From the rising sun to the settings same, I will praise you name, great is your faithfulness to me.” – Maverick City Music, Promises
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