Day 10: The Rainbow Promise

The Picture

The Verse: Genesis 9:8‑10, 12‑13, 16‑17

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you‑‑the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you‑‑every living creature on earth  And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.... Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

The Thought

I love rainbows.  Again, they always make me think of my dad.  We used to live near the sea and there was a tidal lagoon at the bottom of our road.  One year we had some flooding and the water rose a couple of meters.  The houses at the end of the road were flooded.  We lived higher up the hill so weren’t really at risk, but I was convinced we were all about to be washed away – and we didn’t have an ark!

Dad sat with me and talked about the story of Noah’s Ark and comforted me in his best Daddy fashion.  A rainbow didn’t magically appear in the sky as he spoke, but it may as well of. 

I am transported back to that day every time I see one. 

This was the gist of our conversation:  God’s beautiful rainbows appear after storms, just when things are looking grey and dark.  If it is a sunny day you won’t get a rainbow.  It has to be a dreary and rainy day to fully appreciate the rainbow.  The sun shines through the clouds and onto the rain, so you need the storm to see the beauty of the sunshine and the rainbow.  Otherwise you just take all the sunshine for granted.  They are a sign of God’s promise that He will guide us through any storm, through any troubles.

When you are feeling battered and bruised by life and are filled with doubt, think about the rainbow and remember it is coming.  It is only a prayer away….

The Prayer

I thank you for the beautiful rainbows you send us during stormy times Lord.  When we are focusing on the greyness and dreariness of the time, You shine through in yoiur splendour and fill the sky with colour and beauty.  Help us focus on You and to look for your rainbows in our lives.