Promises, promises, promises....

God's word is full of them.  Because I believe it when the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart", I believe that God is still in the business of promises. 

Patrick and I were married ALMOST 17 years ago...anniversary coming up soon.  We drove to Colorado Springs for our week long honeymoon.  As we were driving along, we would come across the occasional rain shower.  I remember one particular shower that produced a rainbow.  We both noticed it's beauty and commented on how it seemed God was giving us our own little promise that He would never leave us as we walked this new marriage journey together. 

I wish I knew where that picture was, but it's late and I'm not willing to go look for it in the dark closet after the spider incident last night.  (Okay, since you asked...I got up for my "last time to the potty before I'm really asleep" and as I was walking back to bed, I stepped on a HUGE spider!!  UGH!!  And no husband here for me to wake up to take care of it!!!  So, needless to say, I'm keeping my feet up off the floor this evening!)

This afternoon, as I was listening to the radio in my truck (no Christian stations in Canada...at least where we were) the dj was talking about Eagles.  She said that when a baby eagle, or "eaglet" is ready to hatch, he has to literally peck his way out of the eggshell.  This can take up to 2-3 days.  It takes consistency and determination.  Can you imagine how tired he must get?  Peck, peck, peck.  He must do this all on his own.  If any help is offered, he will die.  See, during this difficult process of finding his way out of his shell and into this world, he is learning many things that will benefit him for survival.  He MUST endure the process, the work, the suffering, or HE WILL DIE.

As I listened to the dj talk about this, my first thought was about our Creator and the details that He orchestrates in order for these little birds to survive.  Being a lover of details and organization, I am always amazed when God reveals Himself in the details.  And how He created all of these little survival details for EACH species that He made.  And each species has different survival details dependent upon where they live and what their environment will be.  Are you amazed with me??  To be honest, I am not a bird lover.  (Actually, I try to avoid them at all cost after an incident I had with a bird when Justin was a baby.)  But really?  All of these details and concern over a bird?  The Bible says that God knows when a sparrow falls...but that His love for me is MUCH greater than that. 

I don't even bat an eye at a dead bird...unless it's the one that knocked me into the garage and then I would have considered that a victory!!  But God knows.  He knows the number of hairs on my head, which has always amazed me because every hair stylist I've ever gone to has said I have more hair than anyone they've ever seen.  Maybe He loves me more than you!  KIDDING!!! 

God created those silly little eaglets.  He gave them the rules and the struggles.  If they go against the rules and the lessons they need to learn, they will die.  And He is with them always. 

God created silly little me.  He gave me rules and struggles.  If I go against the rules and the lessons that I need to learn, I will die.  He is with me always.

This past week as I joined my husband in Canada, I was able to capture this:

I was really unaware as I was taking this picture of the beauty and symbolism it would have for me until later as I was looking back on the day.  Our lives are full of beauty, such as the falls here at Niagara.  Our lives are also full of crashing waves, such as the boat is experiencing here at the bottom of the beautiful falls.  In our lives, we are just trying to hang onto the boat and not get too wet, or worse, fall off.  And then, just when we think we can't hold on any longer, we look up and there's the promise. 

"I will never leave you or forsake you

You are mine and you're My child


You can lay your head upon My shoulder


Let your tears fall down on Me


I love you more than you could ever know


It's true


And that's the way it will always be


So don't you worry anymore"  ("Lullaby" by Go Fish)


For the past (almost) two years, I feel like I've been hanging onto that boat in the bottom of that basin while the waves came crashing down and the power of the falls creating those waves never ends!!  But the promise remained...God was with me.  God is with me.  God WILL be with me. 

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  2 Corinthians 12:9

I stand before you today (well, actually I'm sort of reclining back on my pillows on my bed) testifying that these promises are true.  And I also know that God cannot break His promises...they are forever true!!
 
I guess I just needed a reminder (the rainbow) that God is still with me...just like He promised.