“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT
Have you ever caught a glimpse of God?
Let me tell you a true story about a time when God reminded my family about His providence and promise to always be there for us.
One night, my mom picked up my brother and me from school after our activities were over. She was the last parent to arrive, and as we loaded into her car, we soon found that her car wouldn’t start. Mom tried everything she knew to get the engine running, but nothing worked. We got out of the car and looked around. Quickly we realized that we were the only people in the school’s parking lot on a dark night. Even the nearby stores were closed.
We believe in the power of prayer, so we asked God for help. We also called family members to see if they could assist us, but they could not. The car tow company said they would be there, but it was taking what seemed like forever for them to arrive. Suddenly, Mom said, “Look!” My brother and I looked as she pointed heavenward. We followed her gaze and went silent in awe. A rainbow had formed a complete circle around the moon.
The rainbow’s bright colors made the natural light of the moon more brilliant. We knew that the Bible says God sends a rainbow after a storm as a promise that He’ll never destroy the world by flood again (Genesis 9:13-17). But it wasn’t raining that day or night. This made the sight even more profound. We realized it was a sign from God to tell us to not be afraid, because no matter how dark the night, He was our Light and watching over us.
Decades later, I heard a podcast episode featuring Christian author Becky Beresford. She read the last chapter in her debut book titled, She Believed HE Could, So She Did. Beresford talked about the rainbows we see on Earth from our limited human perspective. We see an arch above the ground, but what we don’t see is that rainbows are a complete circle!
Beresford said, “I found out recently that the rainbows we see today, which are the same as the days of Noah, are only a fragment of the whole picture. Rainbows, as it turns out, are not arched bows but full circles! According to meteorologists, rainbows are full circles that can only be seen from the air or a higher perspective. On the ground, however, from our everyday viewpoint, we can only see the arches as they stretch from one side of the horizon to the other. We see in part what God sees in full.”
Beresford also referenced 1 Corinthians 13:12, and then she said, “The full glory of what God has promised is still veiled to us. We cannot see it or comprehend it quite yet, but one day we will. One day we will stand in the midst of this vast number of sisters and brothers in Christ and we will witness the Lord fulfill His promises in ways we could never imagine…Just because we can’t see the end…Just because we can only comprehend in part what is happening in our lives…Just because some of God’s promises seem hidden or lost…It does not mean His promises are not fully there. We just can’t see them yet. God graciously formed the rainbow into an infinite circle, symbolizing how His promises have no expiration or end.”
As I listened to Beresford speak, I immediately remembered being abandoned in that dark parking lot and seeing a glimpse of God through that beautiful rainbow. Now, I realized something more than I did then: God gave us a complete promise that dark night. He was telling us that He promises to be our Light in the darkness. God never leaves us to handle life alone. Eventually, help arrived, and we made it safely home.
I never forgot that life lesson and beautiful illustration that God gave us. I hope you will also remember this story and be encouraged in your journey with God as well.
Let’s Pray: Dear God: Thank You for making the sun, moon, and stars. Thank You for your complete promise to be our Light in the dark nights. Thank You for your big heart of compassion for humankind. Help us to love You and to follow Your Son, Jesus Christ, all the way to Heaven. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Anawat_s
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Wednesday, 10 July 2024.
SHARE
