By Janice Gentles-Jones
There’s nothing seeing like a rainbow in the sky. Don’t get me started on seeing a double rainbow! No matter how many times I’ve seen one, whenever a rainbow appears I stop and stare in awe. They are one of my favorites of God’s creation. But besides the beautiful colors all lined up so closely together and the oh so perfect curve of the bow, the rainbow always reminds me of the covenant God made with Noah. In Genesis 9:11-13, God says:
I establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood,
and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you
and every living creature that is with you,
for all future generations:
I have set my bow in the cloud,
and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
This covenant was made after a devasting time in history. I can’t imagine how God must have felt to destroy His creation. Yet, He gave the sign of the rainbow, ‘his bow’ He calls it, as a covenant to never destroy the world by flood again. He’ll remember His covenant too as He tells us in verse 16, “When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
This is what makes seeing the rainbow so special even today. For when we see it, God sees it too. It’s a reminder, a sign, a connection through a covenant made long ago but still remembered by God and us, the future generations he referred to.
In the remembrance of that long ago promise, it calls to mind all God’s promises, including the ones made to us.
The promise of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The promise of return of Jesus for His people.
The promise of everlasting life in the new heaven and earth where the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
That rainbow is a reminder for us, of God who makes and keeps His promises. I’m looking forward to the next rainbow.
Prayer: Thank you, dear Father, for the reminder of your promises. Hold us closely under your mercy and grace, as we wait patiently for fulfillment of each one. Amen.