A Promise is a Promise!

"ALL OF LIFE'S HIDDEN TREASURES ARE FOUND AT THE END OF OURSELVES AND IN THE RAINBOW OF HIS GENTLE PRESENCE" Ange Cogburn

This lovely photo was taken several weeks ago by my parents at their home on Lake Greenwood, S.C. That is about 1900 miles away from here. However, this past year I have probably seen more rainbows here in Arizona than I have in my entire lifetime. This seems strange as we do not have much rain here. However, every time we have had a storm, I have seen a rainbow reaching across the heavens.

This brings me to the thought of weariness. What does weariness have to do with rainbows? Well, I think they have much to do with the promises of God. Have you ever felt so weary that you just kind of go limp as if some invisible weight is taking over your entire being? Have you ever felt so exhausted that tears take over uncontrollably and you wonder where the weeping is coming from?

To me, weariness is a sign that one, we need some much needed rest. And two, weariness is a posture of leaning into God to recall and receive His promises. It is often after a storm that we fully realize the toll that the winds and rains have taken upon us. We are disheveled from the torrents and weighed down by the heavy downpours that life sometimes brings.

As a mother of a large family, I often have moments of weariness. There may not be any major storms, but the day to day sometimes can wear me down and bring me to tears. Is this such a bad thing? No. I see it as a good thing because it is a signal that I need to rest more not only in my body, but in my mind and heart. My tears are a reminder that I need to lean more on my Father and less on myself. And in that posture I am reminded of His promises.

Many times the responsibilities of this life drives us to depend mostly on our own strength and we become overworked. But when we learn over time to lean on the everlasting and long reaching arms of God's all sufficiency, the accomplishments we attain are birthed through an overflow of sweet rest rather than toiling and striving of overworking.

So today, I choose rest within and without. May my life be the result of overflowing grace rather than an overworking craze!!



Through the tossing storm,
One of two things form.
Either a push against the wind,
Or a gentle giving in.

Either way there may be tearful flows,
But in Divine rest His beauty grows.
As the streams of weeping emerge,
His strength takes over as a gentle surge.

I am washed of striving and leaning on me;
Ceasing of all doing and learning to just be.
The sunshine of His presence breaks through and I know
That a promise is a promise when I see His rainbow.
Ange Cogburn


A PROMISE FOR TODAY!

ARE YOU TIRED? WORN OUT? BURNED OUT ON RELIGION? COME TO ME.
GET AWAY WITH ME AND YOU WILL RECOVER YOUR LIFE.
I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO TAKE A REAL REST.
WALK WITH ME AND WORK WITH ME.
WATCH HOW I DO IT!
LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE.
I WON'T LAY ANYTHING HEAVY OR ILL FITTING ON YOU.
KEEP COMPANY WITH ME,
AND YOU WILL LEARN TO LIVE FREELY AND LIGHTLY!

MATTHEW 11:28-30 THE MESSAGE BIBLE