The Stressed Developer has an epiphany

For many years I was a devout Christian, and then due to circumstances that I would prefer NOT to air here (suffice it to say that there was a lot of emotional pain involved), I drifted away from the church and my faith in general.  It was only as a result of circumstances, prodding from the Spirit, and the Hillsong Church in Cape Town that I was able to get my faith back on track, my relationship with Him back on course (though there is a long way to go with that), and I am once again starting to see the beauty that is all around me, in people, places, events and life in general.

 

That was the introduction, and this is the post.  I was sent to Johannesburg from Port Elizabeth (where I live) to attend a 1/2 day workshop followed a 1/2 day discussion of the 1/2 day workshop (among other things).  A colleague of mine from PE went along as well, and we were joined in Johannesburg by another PE colleague who actually lives in Bloemfontein (yet we all work for Johannesburg - a convoluted story) - hang in there, I will get to the point sooner or later.

 

On the flight up, Melanie (my colleague from PE) and I saw something in the clouds just after we took off, and since we had our phones off, neither of us took any pictures - no picture, no proof, no sighting - we all know the drill.  It seemed to be a very unusual sighting (for me anyway, as I have never seen it before), but the amazing part was that when we flew back this morning (also on the red-eye flight), we saw it again, and this time it was just BEFORE we had to turn our phones off (OK, it was just AFTER we had been told to switch our phones off, but I HAD to get this picture):

 

 



SO what is this, you ask? 

It's the shadow of the airplane, but surrounded by a complete rainbow - full circle.

 

The scientist in me understands that this is a natural occurrence of light being refracted through a prism, in this case the moisture in the air. The rainbow is fully circular due to our relative position to the rainbow, and the fact that we are not close enough to the earth for the ground to break the circle  - or something like that, anyway.

 

But I felt immediately that this was illustrating something to me, and you do not have to agree with me, but this is what I got:

1. Remember Noah, when they got off the Ark on Ararat? God gave him the rainbow, as a PROMISE (that there would never be another flood to destroy the earth, but a promise, none the less). 
   
   This made me realise that Gods promises are all around us, if we would only bother to take a look, and at the same time that His promises are all beautiful, good, with our interest in mind, and part of His plan. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
   
   
2. I don't know about you, but to me rainbows are always beautiful, whether they are single or double, or as in this case full circle (trust me, the photo doesn't do the rainbow justice - take my word for it).  In the same way, He always has beauty in mind, even in hardship and trials, as long as we keep our eyes on Him, we will see that beauty.  Look away from the rainbow (in my case into the cabin of the aircraft) and the beauty of the rainbow is no longer in my sight.  That doesn't mean it isn't there (because it IS), I just don't see it, because there is something in the way, or I am looking a different way.
   
   
3. What I found particularly significant is the fact that the rainbow was AROUND the aircraft (or in this case the shadow of the aircraft, if it was around the aircraft itself I would not have been able to see it, now would I???). This showed me his promise was surrounding me, in essence enclosing me (ok, the aircraft, but the aircraft wasn't getting the message, I was).  and I believe this is truly the case in His promises as well.
4. Then there was the fact that the rainbow was showing on the clouds and not on the ground.  To me this indicated that He sees things from a different perspective. Sometimes we need to separate ourselves from the issues themselves and look at them from a different point of view (and more often than not, that point of view can be provided by people around us.  A little girl once said "Even boys have something useful to say, if you listen long enough").
   
   
5. Lastly, I go the distinct impression that the rainbow around the aircraft showed how He was holding the aircraft in His hands (He's got the whole world, in His hands, and so on).  That to me spoke of His protection over us, and the fact that he cares for us. Luke 12:6-7 (and Matthew 10:29-31) speak of the fact that sparrows are cheap, yet He remembers them all, and we are worth far more than sparrows in His eyes.

So I saw this image, and it spoke to me of His promises, His beauty, His protection, His love.  Probably no-one else (of the few who actually SAW it) saw anything special in the image, but I believe He was trying to make a point, directed at me, the point being that He never left me, I left Him, He was there all the time. Oh, yes, and just how much He truly loves me, and wants to be loved by me.

 

So THAT was my epiphany, and I wanted to share it with you - before it slipped my mind, getting older isn't for sissies, let me tell you. And not something one should attempt on your own either.  You need Someone's hand to hold onto.

 



The rainbow again, but here the airplane was not so visible