A few weeks ago, on my way home from dropping the boys off at school, I was blessed to see the biggest, brightest rainbow 🌈I think I’ve ever seen. The contrast between the sunny and stormy skies was striking! And I’ll tell you why…
It was all because of the the road I was on.
The long, straight, 2-lane country road that I was driving home on, was positioned so perfectly between the two sets of skies that it seemed as if the road itself was some sort of dividing line between the light that was on my right side and the darkness on my left.
🤔🤔🤔And then I was like, wait…I’m on this scarcely populated…straight and narrow…road…that leads to my home…with light and darkness on either side of me…and there’s a rainbow that represents one of God’s promises shining bigger and brighter than I’ve ever seen before?!?!…😲😲😲 Is it just me or am I pretty much driving through every Bible verse I’ve ever read right now!?!?! It was such an awesome moment – I felt like Carrie Underwood when she sang, “Jesus, Take the Wheel!” 🤣
Obviously, I’m only kidding, Jesus did not actually take the wheel…I DID keep driving…but as I drove, so many Bible verses came to mind…I thought about how Jesus in Matthew 7 describes the spiritual road that leads to an eternal home in Heaven as one that is straight and narrow and traveled by few!
The skies also reminded me of the way light and darkness are used in the Bible to contrast good and evil (John 3:19-21), and how throughout our lives, we will absolutely be surrounded by both! It’s easy sometimes when we become tired or distracted to end up swerving between the two (PSA: never text and drive!). But if we heed the guidance God gives us (His “rules of the road” can be found in the Bible), we can correct our steering and keep our lives on the straight and narrow instead of in the ditch.
And ultimately, I thought about the rainbow. On my left, amidst a background of darkness, there it was. A physical symbol of the spiritual promise God gave to never destroy all life with flood waters again. I wanted to just stop and stare at it in awe and wonder, but I knew I couldn’t completely take my eyes off of the road, so I just kept driving yet looking up at it from time to time, thanking God for letting me catch a glimpse of it’s magnificent beauty.
As I continued to drive and think about these things, I came upon a group of workers doing road construction. One man was flagging cars, telling them when to stop/slow down, a hindrance I could’ve avoided by taking a short cut/detour down one of the side roads on the “dark side,” but I instead I chose to wait it out and stayed on the straight and narrow…wow, another life lesson.
Then the rain began to sprinkle, just a little at first…and then harder…so I turned on my wipers (thank you God for blessings even/especially on “rainy” days!)…thanks to the wipers, I could still see the rainbow…which also reminded me of how it important it is to keep sight of God’s promises, even during during the hard or sad times.
But sometimes that’s easier said than done…because as I drove down a little further, the trees began to close in on either side of me, completely blocking my view of the rainbow…but I didn’t stop, I just kept going…and after a while, the trees tapered off and I could see that rainbow again…it was there…even when I couldn’t see it, it was always there…and you know what? It followed me all the way home.
I know God associated the rainbow with a specific promise to never destroy the whole of mankind with flood waters again, but to me it also serves as a reminder that if God is faithful to keep that promise, I should trust Him to be faithful to keep His other promises as well. Most importantly, the promise of salvation to all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and obey His commands.
Needless to say, it was quite a drive today…maybe Robert Frost was right after all…I think the road less traveled does make all the difference. ❤️
What road are you on?
“13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy1 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and hthe way is hard that leads to life, and ithose who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13-14
“13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 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. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” – Genesis 6:13-16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” -John 3:16-21
Until next time…
-PWAP
