As I headed off this morning at 6:30 am to share the gospel with the men at Wayside Cross Ministries, the Lord reminded the people of Northern Illinois that although we deserve to be drowned in our sin, he will continue to be merciful (Gen. 9:11-17). This morning’s “sign” was a rare occurrence as a storm from the West entered our area just as the sun was coming up in the East. I don’t care much to look for the “secret code” of happenings, but I could not resist the pleasure of thinking about why rainbows exist and the timing of this one. It was as if God was putting two truths together: covenant rainbows and the start of a new day. Here, early in the morning, the Lord of heaven and earth is reminding me of his mercies that are “new every morning, great is his faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22, 23).

But though there is mercy for today, a day is coming when no man will survive Jesus’ wrath (2 Thess. 1:5-10) for turning away from the Lord. Hurry! Do not delay – get on the ark while you can – Jesus Christ is the only safe vessel that will anchor safely on the other side. You don’t have to die in your sins. Christ has borne the wrath of God in your place. Believe that Christ went down, way down into the depths of punishment but then came up, bursting out of the ground on the third day. Heed Jesus’ warning: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:2627). Jesus is saying that there is coming a time that while you are going about your normal routines of daily living, his wrath will come upon you unexpectedly, out of nowhere – but it will be too late to board ship.

Today is the day of salvation – “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).