When my wife and I spent the weekend at Niagara Falls a few years ago, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. I remember being surprised, however, when we got to the falls and found hundreds of people standing in absolute silence. No one said a word – they just stared, spellbound, at the 3,160 tons of rushing water which spill over the side of the falls every second. Very little could be heard except for the mighty rush of water gushing over the rocks and cascading down the cliff-side.
It was surprisingly peaceful, actually. Later we rode underneath the mighty falls in a small boat (and realized just how small we were) and gazed at the breathtaking full rainbows which form almost daily within the heavy mist swirling above the crashing water. As I snapped a picture of the beautiful rainbows, I was reminded that God hung the bow in the clouds as an eternal symbol of His promise to Noah.
And that’s exactly what Niagara Falls is to me – an awe-inspiring, breathtaking picture of God’s promise to mankind… both His undeniable strength, and His everlasting love.
Overwhelming Might
If I close my eyes, I can still hear the unforgettable sound of one of the world’s largest waterfalls. There is a mighty rushing sound as 75,750 gallons of water fall each second, crashing against the rocks below with 280 tons of force! Who could see such a thing and deny God’s power?
And therein lies the promise – this God of unspeakable might and undeniable power – is the same God who fights for us.
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.” – Psalm 147:5-6
Unending Love
Where does all this water come from? I asked myself this question again and again. Niagara Falls possesses the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, and the thought of such vast amounts of water plunging over that cliff every second still overwhelms me – despite the centuries, the river has never run dry! The Niagara River, which drains from Lake Eerie, provides a constant flow of freshwater to the falls. And it is above this natural wonder that a rainbow appears in the sky each and every day.
What a beautiful symbol of God’s love for us! It is deeper than we could begin to imagine, and never ceases to cascade from His heart in unspeakable amounts.
“That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:14-19
The Artistic Christian 