I’ve always been somewhat enamored with rainbows.  I recall having several coloring books filled with different kind of rainbows, a rainbow unicorn, a troll with rainbow hair and I really do love the song, “Over the Rainbow” (sung by either Judy Garland, or Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, also known as IZ).

Perhaps you recall from elementary school just how a rainbow forms.  Simply, it is caused by light reflecting against water.  The colors of the rainbow from the outer to the inner are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.   While deciding I should refresh my knowledge a bit more, I learned (or perhaps re-learned) that in a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colors reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc.  (You’ll want to verify that next time you see a double rainbow)!

Each time I see a rainbow in the sky, I tend to stop and say “ahh-hhh”.   I do so because of it’s unique beauty but also because of it’s symbolism.   No matter what I’m doing at the point I see a rainbow, I am reminded that the rainbow was not only a promise to Noah of the Old Testament and his family, but a covenant that God will keep His promises – thousands of years later, for you and me.

In Genesis 9:12-13 it says:

¹² 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: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth”.

Think about it the next time you see a rainbow (whether in the sky or in some other way).   It is something specifically designed by God to remind us of who He is and His covenant with us.

God also said as long as the earth remain, each season will always come as expected.  Although they may not be as dramatic in some parts of the world as others, the cycle of seasons has always come and gone.   This aspect of God’s promise isn’t talked about as much, but can be just as vivid of a reminder, at least four times every year.

Being a wee-bit Irish, there are traditional stories that refer to a “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow.  I found an interesting Irish blessing that reminds us:

“Don’t miss all the colors of the rainbow, looking for that pot of gold.”

I’d be interested to know how you would interpret that saying in your life?

I’m reminded that a rainbow isn’t usually visible to us unless there is or has been a storm.   Many of us go through the storms of life and manage them in one way or another.  However, some of you are in the middle of a storm that doesn’t seem like it will ever end, or perhaps the damage that is being done seems insurmountable.   For those of you in that situation, and as reminder to all of us, I’d like to share with you the song, “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevenson.    A portion of the song says:

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
And in the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, When my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, In the eye of the storm

If you haven’t listened to all the words in this song, it covers many of the potential and real storms in our lives that can be raging.   It is powerful on many levels.

It is very important for us to remember that God is our anchor and that His love surrounds us.    And we have the beautiful colors of a miraculous rainbow and each different season during the year to remind us, over and over again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Judeo-Christian traditions, the appearance of a rainbow is considered a sign that God is not planning to destroy the earth with another flood. Rainbows are also considered lucky, and traditional Irish stories often refer to a “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow. Buddhist tradition considers the rainbow the highest spiritual plane one can access before crossing over to the other side, and Armenian mythology states that the rainbow belongs to the sun god. Rainbows are also often considered a sign from “above,” especially when they appear on a sunny, rain-free day. In other cultures, however, the rainbow is considered a bad omen. In Bulgaria, ancient lore states that if one walks underneath a rainbow, their sex changes, and in Burma, age old legends claim the rainbow is actually a devilish monster.

Genesis 9:12-13New International Version (NIV)

¹² 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: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.