As we
drove to a church meeting last week, we emerged from a thunderstorm to a mammoth
rainbow in the sky ahead of us. As I took in its beauty, I was reminded of a
time decades ago when I was high over the Atlantic on a trip to England and outside
my plane window a rainbow arced across the blue. At the time, I dealt with a
heavy situation in my life, but when that rainbow appeared, I heard in my
spirit the Lord’s voice saying, “Haven’t I been faithful to this promise?”
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| Photo used courtesy of Margie Hancock |
The clarity of God's presence shook me a moment, but I agreed, “Yes, Lord you have been.” And so, I was reminded again to release my doubts because God would be faithful in my current situation to fulfill his promise that he would never leave me or forsake me.
As I
remembered that time long ago and reflected on a current particularly
challenging difficulty and God’s promise in it, another driver slammed their car into us from behind. Although it was quite a jolt, it
didn’t seem there was damage to any of us or to our cars, so we went on to the
church.
But I’ve
continued to think about that jolt coming just as I was reflecting on the
promises of God.
Holding on
to God’s promises does not mean we won’t encounter jolts. After my recent
accident, one of the verses I clung to most was from the apostle Paul, “We get knocked
down, but we are not destroyed.” That
phrase comes from 2 Corinthians 4, “We are pressed on every side by troubles,
but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are
hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not
destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of
Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.”
Through
every jolt in life, we continue to hold fast to God and his promises. We
continue to believe what is true—His word found in scriptures.
At times,
we feel the challenge is so great that we will not be able to bear it, that it
will snuff out our light. I have certainly felt that way at times. But here’s the
thing—we can’t bear it on our own. We can only do it through Christ who gives
us strength(Philippians 4:13).
So, if you’ve
been jolted recently, still cling to God’s powerful promises. Don’t let them
go. Let them be for you the lifeline that they are. Remember, God has been
faithful to all his promises.