When our barns are filled Or the fields are dry Our hope remains in the Lord Not a grip of despair On the wheel of our life But a joy and a rest on His Word When grief comes to steal Our song in the night His melody’s rings out so strong That tells of the stream And His pasture that’s green And our Shepherd who leads us along Our Hope is in the Lord by Peter Caligiuri copyright 2021 all rights reserved
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:12-13 ESV
This week a group from our church made a trip to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. It was interesting how they came back with wonderful stories of their time together and just a little bit about the Ark itself. I thought that fitting as the idea of finding the Ark of Noah has been embedded in the imagination of countless generations of both Christian and non-Christians alike. But even if one day someone finds the actual wooden structure of the ark it really wouldn’t change a thing. Believers would still believe and unbelievers would still be doubting.
You might think that a bit harsh but consider that God did leave us a sign of His faithfulness in the clouds. It is called a rainbow. Everyone over the age of five has seen at least one rainbow in the sky in their lifetime and few remember who put it there. God left us this beautiful yet fleeting sign of His eternal love and kindness. How many will see it and believe? But it is still a great experience to go take a trip to the Ark encounter for yourself. You won’t be sorry ( and be sure to check out the nearby Creation museum.) It is a trip worth taking, but far less spectacular than one single rainbow!
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 KJV
So you might ask, “What exactly is Lent? Great question! Well, in general, Lent is the time from Ash Wednesday until either the Wednesday before Easter, Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday depending on what tradition you follow. You also might wonder why, since there is no record of anyone in the Bible observing this roughly 40-day period, why should we? For starters, it is never a bad idea to set aside special times for seeking God’s will and purpose. We call it, “Waiting on the Lord” and waiting comes with God’s promise of strength and renewal. Some people may choose to fast certain foods or commit to special acts of service, during these weeks. However, you choose to honor the season, the most important thing of all is to focus on Jesus. For me personally it brings me back to the excitement of my first months of faith in Jesus (Which just happened to be on Easter Sunday!) I come to each morning’s quiet time with an open-heart asking Jesus for a brand-new insight into His word and for His will for that day. Instead of racing ahead or lagging behind in my devotional readings I need to slow down so I can hear what God is saying. Walking with Jesus will lead us along the path that He has chosen. Following the path, He chooses will bring us to His destination for our life. My prayer is that during these weeks of Lent we will see with fresh eyes the miracles of Jesus, the table of His Last Supper, the Cross, the empty grave and most of all our Risen Lord!
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