Healing Rays of Righteousness

God is My Refuge, River, and Rainbow

A truth that I have learned to greatly appreciate through personal experience and Bible study is this; God is not our protector against trouble, but he “is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”And so, Psalm 46 has become my “go to” psalm when life becomes difficult and uncertain.

This truth is undergirded by the three affirmations of faith found in these verses. And these three affirmations of faith have always encouraged and strengthened me in times of worship and praise to God as well as in tough times of petitioning God’s help.

Affirmation One – I will not fear because God is my refuge and strength. (vv.1-3).

Earlier in Psalm 9:9-10, the psalmist said, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” In times of crisis, we turn to whom or what we trust. I choose to trust God’s love.

Affirmation Two – I will not faint because I have a river. (vv. 4-

God provides a river of resources in his city during threatening times of despair and evil attack.          “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” (v.5).

 All nature depends on hidden resources. The trees send their roots deep into the earth to find hidden streams of water. Likewise, we Christians need to sink our spiritual roots into God’s stream of resources to keep us from fainting in despair and defeat. I choose to trust God’s love.

Affirmation Three – I will not fret because I see the rainbow. (vv.8-11).

What is that rainbow? It is the revelation of God’s sovereignty and majestic glory over all the earth. It is seeing God exalted and overarching all storms of uncertainty and tragedies. The rainbow declares it to be so. There is no need to fret, because “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

This truth became very real to my family during one of our return home trips after visiting family in Phoenix, Arizona. On an early Monday morning we left Phoenix in a VW Camper van that we agreed to drive to the New York seaport to be shipped to Africa.

We enjoyed the long drive through beautiful Salt River Canyon and then by late afternoon, stormy winds were blowing as we entered New Mexico. While eating supper in a restaurant, a very windy rainstorm delayed our return to vehicle and traveling. After the storm had passed and we entered onto the interstate a bright, beautiful double rainbow appeared ahead of us.

The evening soon grew darker, and I discovered that the vehicle had no headlights. Racing against the deepening darkness we were unsuccessful in finding a garage that was still open and so stayed the night in a motel. This was the beginning of troubles and frustrations.

The next afternoon, Tuesday, the engine suddenly stopped working and we had to be towed to Amarillo, Texas. By then it was late evening, and we had to stay the night a short distance from the garage.

Wednesday was a day of delay and disappointment, and finally a diagnosis on Thursday. The van needed a new engine. This had to be ordered from Houston and should arrive on Monday and take about two days to install. The seeming lack of urgency by the garage service department frustrated me.

However, a phone call to the Mennonite church in Amarillo, connected us to the pastor who just happened to own a motel. The pastor and his wife graciously provided a room, meals, and a car for us to enjoy our stay while waiting for the van to be repaired, which took several days longer then promised.

Finally, after repeated delays, we anxiously started on our way home even though it was already early evening and raining. Imagine our reassuring amazement when, as we left the city limits of Amarillo, traveling east, a beautiful rainbow appeared in front of us.

In that moment God’s promise of presence, protection, and provision – a promise that speaks of peace amid trouble, was revealed to us in a very personal way. Yes, the rainbow stands guard over the storm. It is God’s name written in the sky for all to see and proclaims “God with us” inviting us to renew our faith and trust in his presence and power.

We really felt blessed, believing God placed those rainbows at the beginning and ending of our nine-day journey through trouble and blessing as an experiential teaching for our family about God’s enduring love and faithfulness.

And so, when I read “Be still, and know that I am God” in verse 10, I now hear, “Relax. I am God and I can manage the situation.”  This I believe, but must confess that in tough situations, fear and impatience crowds out faith and I need to keep reminding myself that God is not our protector against trouble, but he “is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 7/23/25

Announcement and Invitation

During the past several years I have shared mid-week meditations with you with prayers that my writing would encourage you toward experiencing God’s healing rays of love, joy, and peace in your life.

During the past year I selected fifty-eight of the more recent meditations and have published them in a book titled, “Healing Rays of Righteousness” I am offering the book to you for $17.00 per copy, plus $3.00 mailing costs. Send order with check to Ray Geigley, 403 Benjamin Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17201.

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I pray that the selected meditations contained in this book will in some small way, significantly awaken and encourage your spirit and soul toward God’s healing rays of love, joy, and peace in your life. Whatever may be your present circumstance, lean into Jesus who invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:28-29). <><><> 

This may be the ideal gift for your family, friends, co-worker, and neighbor. May God graciously bless your today! Ray M. Geigley

Excerpted from INTRODUCTION

After retiring from active ministry, I was encouraged to write a weekly meditation as a continuing ministry. Needing to choose a title for my writings, and with deep appreciation for my name and its mission, I searched for a scriptural verse that would possibly link my name with my purpose for writing and best define the focus of my writing ministry.

That is when I surprisingly re-discovered Malachi 4:2. With this reference to the sun of righteousness rising with healing in its rays, I readily thought of the rising morning sun, promising healing light, warmth, and hope. With that thought, I quickly realized that this promised healing hope was what had shaped and motivated my ministry as a pastor and chaplain for the past 58 years. Thus, I chose the title, “Healing Rays of Righteousness” for my weekly meditations.

God’s Amazing, Endless Love

Apostle John’s pen is bubbling with joy as he writes, urging his readers to open their minds and consider how deeply God loves and cares for them. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”  (1 John 3:1).

 He then paints in the background. “This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10).

I remember reading the story of a well-known speaker who began his seminar presentation by holding up a new twenty-dollar bill. In the room of two hundred persons, he asked, “Who would like this twenty-dollar bill?”  Hands were slowly raised up. He continued, “I am going to give this twenty-dollar bill to one of you but first let me do this.”  He then proceeded to crumple up the bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?”  Again, the hands went up in the air. “Well,” he asked, “what if I do this?”  And dropping the crumpled bill to the floor, he ground it beneath the heel of his shoe, until the bill was not only crumpled but also dirty and torn. “Now who still wants it?” he asked. And again, the hands went up.

“My friends,” he said, “you have all just learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth twenty dollars. Many times, in our lives we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what happened or will happen, you will never lose your value in the eyes of those who love you. You are special and never forget it.”

I agree with this speaker and am convinced that the biblical record of God’s LOVE relationship with his people consistently confirms this message. You and I were created and born being wonderfully great, unique, and full of potential. And now, years later, we are even greater, more unique, and still full of wonder-filled value and potential.

Some of the most profound teachings regarding God’s love is found in the third and fourth chapters of John’s first letter. In verses eight and sixteen of the fourth chapter, John tells us that “God is love.” 

Those three little words get to the heart of what John believed about God. They tell us that God is pure self-giving love, and that God cares deeply about you and me and covets our love relationship with himself. The amazing character of God is love and his greatest desire is that we be in a daily love relationship with him as our loving Father, caring Mother, and glorious King. Yes, I said it. You are a child of the King, loved and cared for in the family of God, the King of kings.

Just how deep is God’s love for us, you ask? Read those verses from John’s first letter again. Ponder the remarkable good news that amazing, gracious, endless love is at the very core of God’s character and at the very center of God’s heart.

In his book Experiencing God, Henry T. Blackaby writes, “God is far more interested in a love relationship with you then He is in what you can do for Him.”

At this very moment, we are children of God, who is LOVE. And, most amazing, there is nothing that will ever be able to prevent God from continuing to deeply love us. The apostle Paul believed this and writes, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).

Even though I have had experiences that caused me to question this truth, I now am convinced that God will never, can never stop loving us. He created us in our mother’s womb and breathed life and love into you and me. We are his amazing and glorious creation, filled with eternal purpose and potential.

And so, no matter what happened in your past or may happen in your tomorrows, you will never lose your value in the eyes of your Heavenly Father who dearly and forever loves you. You are special and never forget it. You are loved, today and always! Amen!

Together we sing with the psalmist; “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”  (Psalm 36:5-9, NLT).

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 7/08/25