Rainbows and Promises

On one of my recent walks, I happened to look up to see a partial, but very bright and intense rainbow backdropped against a lone, puffy white cloud. I didn't expect to see a rainbow since the sun was bright and the sky a vivid blue, but it made me smile instantly. It's kind of this thing between me and God; His little nod to me that life's going to be okay and that He's smiling down at me, and I respond with gratitude and love for His presence in my life. It's like a cheerful hug in the sky from a dearly loved friend. 

Rainbows always make me smile, especially since I went through the darkest valley of my life a number of years ago. They remind me that God makes, and keeps, His promises. 

Throughout the Bible we see God has given us many promises, but sometimes they can be hard to lay hold of, or actually believe, because they are written words. They are something we cannot physically hold on to or appreciate with our five human senses. They are promises we have to accept by faith.

Maybe that's why I like rainbows. They are a seeable, detectible example of His many promises to us. They break into our earthly, observable realm to speak volumes of hope to us. 
 
As I continued my walk, I kept looking up to watch the beauty of its multi-colored arch. A neighbor rode by on his bike and I pointed out the rainbow to him. He mentioned someone up the road was taking a picture, but he didn't know of what until I pointed it out. He stopped and admired it for a few minutes, too, a smile crossed his face as he peddled onward.

It occurred to me that most of the people out on this morning missed the beauty of the rainbow. It wasn't the type of weather we would expect to see one, so they wouldn't be looking for it. Others were busy driving to jobs or school, and some still in their homes. 

But whether they saw it or not, it was still there. God's promises are always present and active, even if we don't sense them. 

Perhaps many missed its beauty simply because they weren't looking up. How much of God do we miss because our eyes are focused on worldly things or the cares of the day? We are too busy looking down at the things happening around us. The Word tells us to "look up" for our redemption [deliverance, salvation] draws nigh. {Luke 21:28}

Look up. Look up! When I look up to Him, I begin to see His promises. My faith and hope are increased. 

When I turned around to come home, I could no longer see the rainbow because it was behind me; I was facing the wrong way. I thought about how many people don't see God's promises because they are going the wrong way. Instead of coming TO Him, they are walking or running AWAY from Him. 

Rainbows often show up during storms. Isn't it cool that often during the stormy times of our lives, that's when God reminds us of His presence...of His never-ending promises?

Every time I see a rainbow, I am reminded of what God promised all of us. It is visible, verifiable evidence of a God who is faithful and true to His word. It reflects His love and care for us even in the dark and stormy times of life. 

The next time you see a rainbow, remember the One who created it to prove His promises are true and can be depended on, just like His love for you.

Stuck in a Well

The minute I walked into the house I heard crying. Loud, desperate crying that became more insistent as the minutes passed. Louder and more frantic.

I couldn’t take it. It would drive me mad to sit and listen to it for hours and do nothing. I knew at some point it would stop, but how long would it take, and what would the resulting silence mean? What was wrong? Where were these pleas for help coming from? What could I do?

The farmhouse we lived in was old. The back porch extended the width of the house, and based on its simple wood-framed construction, you could see it had been added years after the house was built. The basement was very rustic--a “Michigan basement.” Cement floor, stone and dirt walls 3/4 of the way up, then a cement shelf at the top of the walls extending 3 feet deep to the foundation of the house. Very dirty, damp, and undesirable.

It was Sunday and we had just returned home from church. The moment we walked into the old back porch; we heard the crying. It was the distraught meows of a cat.

Dad was unconcerned and figured it would find a way out of its situation like most animals did. He ignored the incessant meowing and read his newspaper. Meanwhile, I became more desperate with each minute that passed. I needed to help the cat--wherever it was. I loved my cats and wasn’t about to let one suffer or die while I sat listening to its cries.

The meowing was louder in the back porch, so Mom and I thought maybe it had crawled underneath and was trapped in some way or was hurt and unable to get itself back out. With no way to get under the porch from outside, we went to the basement to look for a possible way in.

Up on the filthy cement shelf we saw an old window built into the foundation which opened to the space under the porch. It was small-- no more than 14 inches tall and 30 inches wide. We propped it open and shined the flashlight into the dirt floored, spider-webbed space. It seemed safe enough, and we heard the cat’s cries louder than ever. It was definitely here, but where? We both managed to wiggle through the window and belly-crawl toward her yowling. When we found her, my heart sank.

She had fallen into an old well. Ten or more feet down, she sat on an old, rotted board to stay dry from the small amount of water remaining at the bottom. She looked up at us, meowing intensely and raising a paw as if to say, “get me out of here!”

Mom and I looked at each other. How would we get her out? We couldn’t climb down, and it was obvious she couldn’t climb out. We decided to lower a container of some kind in the hope she’d get in. It seemed impossible. How do you get a cat to jump into a pail? But we had to try.

Mom found an old tomato basket and tied rope at equal points on all four sides to keep it from tipping. Slowly we lowered the basket toward the cat. It was like she knew her rescue was at hand. Before it even reached her, she was standing on hind legs and jumping for it. Amazingly, when it reached her, she jumped right in! Both pleased and surprised, we slowly began to pull her up. The basket swung side to side with her gentle movements, and the closer it got to the top, the more we could see her positioning herself to jump out. While we considered what to do if she jumped too soon and fell down again, she made her grand leap without hesitation, and landed on the solid ground next to us. She was free! Once out, she allowed me a few quick hugs, then scrambled to make her exit from under the porch to daylight once again.

Before leaving the underbelly of the porch, mom and I dragged a few old boards we found and covered the well opening. No one needed a repeat of this adventure.

                                                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Life can deal harshly with us at times. We fall into an “old well” that traps us. It’s dark, lonely, scary, and with what appears to have no way out.

Depression. Grief. Anxiety. Fear. Confusion. Anger. It can be difficult to get out of the pit we find ourselves in. But there is HOPE.

There are lessons to be learned from the cat in the well.

1. When you are in trouble, cry for help.

This can be difficult, especially when there is perceived embarrassment or shame. You don’t need to broadcast your need to everyone, but find a trusted friend, counselor, or Christian you can share with. It may be hard but ask God to lead you to the right person. He will do it. He did it for me.

2. Keep crying until someone hears you and responds. 

Some people will walk past because they can’t hear you. Issues of their own keep their ears closed to the cries of others. Some people will hear you but ignore you. For whatever reason, they can’t or won’t become involved. Don’t be offended. They aren’t the right person to help you. Others will hear you, but not know what to do to help. Keep crying until someone who CAN help arrives. That person is out there. Hold on until they arrive.                                                                                                                               

3. Getting help can take time. 

Sometimes we have to wait for the right person to arrive to help. Sometimes the right tools need to be found. Don’t give up. God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late.

4. Find helpers who are laying on solid ground; the solid ground of Biblical truth. 

Just as my mom and I laid on our bellies on the ground to provide stability in raising the cat, so someone who is grounded in God’s word can offer stability as you are lifted out of your well. When the cat jumped out of the well, she landed on solid ground. Biblical truths will land you on solid ground, too.

5. Once you are healed, cover the past so you don’t fall in again. 

Don’t go back and revisit. It’s done. Live in the present.

Be like my friend the cat. Keep crying until you get help, then once you are free, cover the past and walk out into your newfound freedom.