great and precious promises

So I mentioned the other day that I'm going through an Advent Scripture reading plan every morning. Yesterday I happened to read the account of Abram in Genesis 12 when God told him to pack up his family and move to the place He would show him. "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."  I thought about how we, as Christians, are a recipient of that blessing. Through Abraham as the first listed in the geneology of Christ in Matthew 1, we have received the promised one. Emmanuel, God is with us. That led into more thought about promises in Scripture. I sat there and thought of a few and reflected on how He will never leave us, that He will complete what He has started, He will satisfy our needs, He heals the broken-hearted, He will give you rest, His love is unfailing. So many wonderful things. In fact, we briefly touched on the same topic in church recently. The pastor had people in the congregation call out promises that we can claim.

So, I get in my car and leave for work and as I turn off our street, I see the most amazing sunrise. You know what immediately popped into my head? His promises are new every morning. I kept adjusting my side mirror so I could see it better. The sky was like electric. That yellow was glowing. I finally had to pull over in the Safeway parking lot so I could snap a picture. I think when God is pounding something into your head like that, it's good to stop and take a picture. It's kind of like how the Israelites built the stone altars to remember the things God had done for them. I zoomed too far and it turned out blurry, and rarely does a picture ever do any sunrise justice, but it was too beautiful to pass up. I was also hoping to snag Mt. Hood in it, but I'm pretty sure that it's hidden by the trees.

So I continue on my way and I get into traffic and head for the freeway. I turn right to merge onto it and what do I see right in front of me? A rainbow. Anybody seeing a theme here? 

I get off yet another exit and turn right again, and I kid you not, there's another rainbow. Well, maybe it was just the other end of the first rainbow, I don't know. I didn't take a picture of that because, well, I do mostly try to drive safe. But it was the neatest thing, to have that all play out right before my very eyes in the matter of about two hours time. 

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. 2 Peter 1:4