Monday, November 29

Rachel Armstrong

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 clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9: 12-15)

These verses reveal the first rainbow God ever created. This was, of course, a great surprise to Noah and his family. As for me, whenever I see a rainbow, I am overcome with a pleasant excitement. For most of us, I believe, seeing a rainbow is a lovely and rare surprise that can lift a mood instantly. I like to think of this as God’s way of using nature to brighten our days and give us something to be happy for.

Another less obvious surprise in this text, that I personally had never noticed before, is that God says that when he sees the rainbow in the sky he will remember the covenant made to us. I had always thought the purpose of the rainbow was to remind us of the covenant, but God made it as a reminder of his promises for himself! This is something I encourage you all to ponder anytime you see a rainbow, rare as they are.

Dear God, We thank you for sending us such a beautiful message as a reminder of the covenant you made with us, for not only you, but for us. Thank you for using your creation to bring us joy, and for loving us unconditionally. Help us to be reminded of your love and to be grateful to you every day, rain or shine, whether or not the reminder of your love is in the sky. Ame