“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” -Genesis 9:13
Has God ever given you a sign? Something that meant something to you, that only you could comprehend? Or, have you ever put out a “fleece”, so to speak, as Gideon did, to determine or confirm the direction of His leading, and God came through? (Judges 6:37-40)
I remember the first time I really felt God reach out to me. I knew He had been there all along, but amidst all my feelings of depression and hopelessness He felt so far away.
It was the evening of my 17th birthday, and my mom was taking me to a restaurant to celebrate. I was feeling very downhearted and discouraged, and I had no direction or vision for my life. My parents had separated when I was twelve, and the effects of their marriage and divorce had clouded my life, although I didn’t want to admit it. It was during that ride in the car when I was feeling so pitiful that I was contemplating why I was here on this earth. “God, why…” I asked, “…am I here if only to experience heart-ache? Why am I here if that’s all You have for me?” At that moment tears started to well up in my eyes and I looked out the window so my mom couldn’t see them. I was contemplating how to take my life.
But then, as we pulled into the parking lot of the Chinese restaurant where we were going to eat, right above the restaurant was a beautiful rainbow! All throughout my life rainbows were my very favorite things. It was like God put a present there, just for me – as a sign that He loved me and He did have a purpose for my life. It gave me hope. Only later would I come to realize all the meaning hidden in the rainbow – God’s promises, His grace, all the aspects of His nature, and His restoration of brokenness. That sign started a new chapter in my life, where I discovered Jesus’ healing, God as my perfect Father, and the Holy Spirit’s comfort and power in my life. There were many more rainbows to come, at significant moments in my walk with God.
Have you ever had God give you a sign? Pray today, and ask Him for one. His promises do not return void when we put our faith and trust in Him.
