i promise.
Tonight a dreary, cloudy day culminated in a fragrant, rare Southern California summer thunderstorm. I love my (almost) 364-days-a-year sunshine. Summer thunderstorms are unique and special here where I live and so when they happen I can't help but stop, step outside and breathe. Breathe that thick, fresh, rich "after the rain" scented air. They're magical, these once-a-summer storms. And this rainy evening, just when I thought it couldn't get lovelier, the rainstorm ended in a beautiful encore as the sun sank below the horizon: the brightest, most vibrant rainbow beaming it's arch across a now-blue sky, the color of robin's eggs. It was breathtaking. Those bright colors, a tangible, real reminder to me of the God I love. And His promises. Long-standing, faithfully-kept promises.
Man, it blows my mind. Thinking about how years and years ago, after endless rain, the Lord promised Noah, a man who trusted Him, to never allow devastation on the earth caused by rain to ever occur again. It's amazing and beautiful to think that God said,
"'I now establish My covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you ....I establish my covenant with you: never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.'
And God said, 'This is a sign of the promise I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a promise for all generations to come:
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between Me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds,
I will see it and remember the everlasting promise."
-Genesis 9:12-17
Loved one, in this world of broken promises and life of constant uncertainties, know this:
God keeps His promises.
People break them all the time. Left and right, promises are broken and vows are shattered. But not with the Lord. His promises stand forever. The things He says He is and will be toward you and me in the Bible - will never change, will never fade, and He will never change His mind. May you be reminded of this today - whatever pain, loss, or suffering you are walking through.
Want proof?
"He remembers His covenant forever, the promise He made for a thousand generations."
Psalm 105:8
"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."
Psalm 119:49-51
"I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise."
Psalm 119:57-59
"Sustain me, my God, according to Your promise & I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed."
Psalm 119:116
"Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them."
Psalm 119:140
"This is the Lord's sign to you that the Lord will do what He has promised."
Isaiah 38:7
Fearlessly trust Him.
He will never let you down.
He will never lie to you.
He will never leave you.
He will never cheat on you.
He will never hurt you.
He will never reject you.
He will never leave you.
He will never cheat on you.
He will never hurt you.
He will never reject you.
His promises will never, ever be broken.
Love. To you and you and you.
On behalf of a Savior who loves you so much, He promises to never leave you. Ever.
Embrace His promises today.
Receive them on your life today.
XO
Erin