Rainbows and treasures in the darkness

      Our son, Richard, and I are in Providence, RI right now--a really neat place that perches along a wide river.  It was a hot, sunny day, but suddenly, late yesterday afternoon, thick clouds rolled in, the wind began howling, and the rain fell down in sheets.  The storm had seemingly come out of nowhere.
     As we huddled inside, chatting and eating dinner with our wonderful niece, Emily, I glanced outside the deli's large picture window, expecting to see a sodden skyline.  But instead, this had appeared--again, seemingly out of nowhere--

     How I wish I were a better photographer, for this rainbow was glorious and arched all the way across the sky.  We rushed outside to gaze in wonder and while snapping pictures, two young guys walked by and said, "Yes, isn't it something?  We just said a blessing in Hebrew."
     Well, I had to look this up and discovered that "whenever we see a rainbow, it is considered a mitzvah [command] to recite the Hebrew blessing."  And here is the English translation of that Hebrew blessing that's always recited over a rainbow: "Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise."
     How I love that!  After the shocking, sudden storms of life, God sends His rainbow to remind us--I am here.  I am still in control.  I am forever faithful.  And I will always be true to every one of My promises to love, sustain, redeem, restore, and resurrect My beloved children.
     I couldn't help but think of John 16:33, Janie's favorite verse: "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world."
     Yes, we will have tribulation.  Not one of us goes through this life with a pass on storms and sorrows.  Sin has left this a broken, scarred planet that suffers from tragedy and trials and tribulation.  But God has promised that not only will He be with us in the storms, but after the storms, one day, the rainbow.  "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Ps.30:5)
     I well remember when Janie was so sick,  how sorrow seemed to rob life of it's color and taste.  The idea of truly experiencing joy or enjoying anything again seemed like a mocking dream.
     But joy did return.  With time, God brings about that hard-earned, sorrow-scarred, but still hope-infused joy even after the worst of storms.  As that rainbow reminds us, He is faithful... even in the storms.
     I loved these words by Melody Green from her book, No Compromise, about the life and death of her husband, Keith Green.  As I mentioned yesterday, her husband was killed, along with two of their young children, in a small plane crash:
      "With God's help, we can eventually come out on the other side of the storm.  Then we can become vessels of grace and understanding to others who are in their season of crisis and pain.  Some cuts are deep enough to mark us forever.  But after seasons and times of healing and restoration by God, we don't have to be controlled by our wounds.  Even with healing, we may always be marked by them to the greater good of our souls. Our injuries can be our biggest windows into aspects of God's character we might not have known any other way.  I know my losses deposited something deep into my spirit.  Yes, I would have rather read a book to receive what God gave to me in those darkest of times--but some pearls are only discovered when the field looks like an impossible wasteland.  He is the God of the impossible.  The God who tells us where to dig for the treasure.  The God of great and tender mercies.  And I love Him with all my heart." 
     Today, Father, for those struggling with unimaginable losses, I pray You would speak words of comfort and healing into their hearts.  Might they know that You are there and that You are both the God of the storm and of the rainbow and that one day, they will discover the pearls in this wasteland that seems to stretch out before them.  But we know, by faith, that You are in the wastelands with them and will bring them out the other side to discover Your treasures that can only be found in the darkness.
     "I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." (Isa.45:3)
     Thank You, Lord, for Your promises.  Thank You for Your rainbows.  Thank You for those treasures of darkness, those pearls hidden in the wasteland, that we know by faith we will one day find and in which we will one day rejoice.  Lord, we trust You to do the impossible and bring treasures out of darkness and rainbows out of storms... but in the meantime, we trust You and we love You.
     To God be the glory.