July 16 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

By God’s Word and Spirit the world was made, and he uses the same tools to rebuild the creaking cosmos. God does not save some souls from the wreckage of the planet; instead, the whole groaning creation must be delivered from bondage by the love and power of God.

Bible Reading:

Genesis 9:8–17

Bible Text:

"Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow apears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant" (Gen. 9:14–15).

Devotional:

Our world exists under the rainbow. God's covenant with creation, made in the days of Noah, is valid today and will last until Christ returns to save and to judge. Clouds symbolize the threat of destruction, but the rainbow is the sign of God's mercy. Together they form the arch over all human existence on the planet.

The rainbow is God's sign to all nations. It says that this is still a time of mercy. To those who know God's sign language, the rainbow speaks of God's reliable covenant with creation.

We tend to forget, however, that the rainbow is first of all God's reminder to himself. "Whenever I bring clouds over the earth"—and clouds hold the potential for great devastation—"and the rainbow appears in the clouds"—light refracting into a beautiful ribbon of colors—"I will remember my covenant." The rainbow will remind God of his own promise.

The wickedness of the earth is so great that God needs to restrain his wrath. Unrighteousness, criminality, impurity, and indifference cry to high heaven. And when God's anger rises like clouds filled with a violent flood, the rainbow says: not yet, not yet, it is still the hour of mercy.

All people live every day under the threat of destruction and the rainbow of mercy. As long as this world lasts.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.