The Magnificient, Surprising Rainbow.

I saw a double rainbow in the sky the other day and it caught me off guard as I walked out of the house. It was such a bright, beautiful array of color against the gloomy sky. Though we often think of rainbows in trivial ways, such as with leprechauns and pots of gold, the rainbow is a very theological phenomena in nature. After the Great Flood, God says in Genesis 9:12-16:

“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 I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 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.”

Over the past few years and specifically the past few months, God has allowed me to go through some difficult emotional storms. The heartache and many questions have led me to a deeper understanding of the theology of suffering in a Christian's life and, in so doing, have made me joyful in my suffering for Christ (Romans 5:3-5). And, recently, my thoughts have come across the rainbow, a beautiful promise between God and all of the Earth that testifies to His faithfulness. God says that He will remember His covenant and He will not go against it. We, then, can certainly trust God's promises to us.

But when do we see the magnificient, surprising rainbow? On the fairest of days? No! It takes a storm, it takes rain. But it also scientifically takes light. When do we see the promises of God and His faithfulness to them in our own lives? Not when it is peaceful and serene, but when we are in the midst of clouds. When we have the eyes of faith to turn to the light of Christ during the darkest moments, it is then that the rainbow appears in our life, a visible testimony to us and those around us that God is faithful, even in our tears.