While on vacation at Niagra Falls (quite a few years ago) we took “The Cave of the Winds tour”. We were given yellow raincoats and felt slippers to wear, then rode an elevator down to a wooden walkway perched on the rocks at the base of Bridal Veil Falls.
At first we strolled a peaceful tree-lined trail and then descended another flight of wooden stairs. Since I had to be careful of my footing on the wet stairs, I was unable to look around until we got to the first landing. When I looked up and saw the massive amounts of white and emerald green water crashing over the cliff above our heads, one word REVERENTLY burst from my lips in awe of such power…God! There was really no other way to express it. Only God could have created such an AWESOME sight.
At the next landing, we could almost touch the raging waters that were pouring over the rocks right beside us, but we were safe if we remained on the walkway. We then climbed higher to the next deck where the water began to run under the deck and the powerful air and water currents sprayed a thick mist in the air like rain.
As I looked up at the turbulent, violent water, I could see a beautiful rainbow and yelled over the roar of the water for my family to look, and when I turned around I could see another rainbow. In fact the sun shining on the mist had turned the whole area into a field of rainbows and they seemed to follow me wherever I turned. Imagine standing in a field of rainbows!
At this point, we had to make a choice, we could stay at this level and walk away from the waterfall or we could climb to the highest deck that was called the “Hurricane Deck”. On the Hurricane deck, the water literally splashed like waves onto the deck itself and at the furthest corner the "courageous" could actually stand underneath a stream of Niagra Falls itself and get totally soaked.
The power of the water was overwhelming and took my breath away. I gasped for breath and looked in awe at the sight. Finally I just threw my arms in the air and literally and figuratively soaked in the experience.
The entire time I could see the destructive forces of the raging water, but I felt safe and at peace on the sturdy walkway that didn’t even shake. I have never experienced such an event and decided it was one of the more exciting moments in my life.
As I finally walked away from the waterfall and back onto the peaceful tree lined trail, I passed other people who were on their way to the Hurricane Deck. I just smiled at them, because I couldn’t explain what I had seen. They had to experience it for themselves. Then God started to show me the lesson the waterfall held for my heart.
The reason I was so moved was that my family and I had lived through some difficult times that previous year and our reliance on God had been greatly tested. I had definitely stumbled several times, questioned God and struggled through pain and heartache.
I felt that the turbulent waters represented the trials that had overwhelmed my family. Problems had come in like a flood and IF we had given up and “went with the flow”, we surely would have been “dashed on the rocks” of sure destruction.
However, long ago, God had built a little walkway of Faith that remained stable and sure and He had covered us with His raincoat of Love to weather the elements. We could still see the awesome fury of the water, but as long as we stood on faith, we only experienced the wind and the rain.
Yet in the very middle of it all, when the life's waters raged over our heads. When the trials took our breath away and a thick mist hindered our sight…THAT was when we could see the rainbows and felt God’s assurance that we would be okay.
Even on the Hurricane Deck, where the water flowed over the deck and onto our feet, we could throw up our arms and acknowledge that the God we serve was still in control of it all.
Once again my life has become a peaceful tree-lined walk. When I see you heading for the Hurricane deck I will pray for you, but I may quietly smile too... because I know that is where the rainbows are.
Written by Tammy Washburn (2000)
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