On one of my recent walks, I happened to look up to see a partial, but very bright and intense rainbow backdropped against a lone, puffy white cloud. I didn't expect to see a rainbow since the sun was bright and the sky a vivid blue, but it made me smile instantly. It's kind of this thing between me and God; His little nod to me that life's going to be okay and that He's smiling down at me, and I respond with gratitude and love for His presence in my life. It's like a cheerful hug in the sky from a dearly loved friend.
Rainbows always make me smile, especially since I went through the darkest valley of my life a number of years ago. They remind me that God makes, and keeps, His promises.
Throughout the Bible we see God has given us many promises, but sometimes they can be hard to lay hold of, or actually believe, because they are written words. They are something we cannot physically hold on to or appreciate with our five human senses. They are promises we have to accept by faith.
Maybe that's why I like rainbows. They are a seeable, detectible example of His many promises to us. They break into our earthly, observable realm to speak volumes of hope to us.
As I continued my walk, I kept looking up to watch the beauty of its multi-colored arch. A neighbor rode by on his bike and I pointed out the rainbow to him. He mentioned someone up the road was taking a picture, but he didn't know of what until I pointed it out. He stopped and admired it for a few minutes, too, a smile crossed his face as he peddled onward.
It occurred to me that most of the people out on this morning missed the beauty of the rainbow. It wasn't the type of weather we would expect to see one, so they wouldn't be looking for it. Others were busy driving to jobs or school, and some still in their homes.
But whether they saw it or not, it was still there. God's promises are always present and active, even if we don't sense them.
Perhaps many missed its beauty simply because they weren't looking up. How much of God do we miss because our eyes are focused on worldly things or the cares of the day? We are too busy looking down at the things happening around us. The Word tells us to "look up" for our redemption [deliverance, salvation] draws nigh. {Luke 21:28}
Look up. Look up! When I look up to Him, I begin to see His promises. My faith and hope are increased.
When I turned around to come home, I could no longer see the rainbow because it was behind me; I was facing the wrong way. I thought about how many people don't see God's promises because they are going the wrong way. Instead of coming TO Him, they are walking or running AWAY from Him.
Rainbows often show up during storms. Isn't it cool that often during the stormy times of our lives, that's when God reminds us of His presence...of His never-ending promises?
Every time I see a rainbow, I am reminded of what God promised all of us. It is visible, verifiable evidence of a God who is faithful and true to His word. It reflects His love and care for us even in the dark and stormy times of life.
The next time you see a rainbow, remember the One who created it to prove His promises are true and can be depended on, just like His love for you.
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