RAINBOW OF HOPE

RAINBOW OF HOPE

R emind us of God's faithfulness,
A sure covenant of God;
I n every circumstance of life,
N ever will He forsake us!
B elieve His Word and promise true,
O bey and trust completely -
W ith all our hearts, our mind,

O ur strength,
F aith will sustain us throughout!

H e's Emmanuel -God with us!
O ffering hope eternal!
P eace beyond understanding give,
E verlasting joy fore'er!

3rd Edition, Volume 3, Demi #36 

I have always had a great fondness for rainbows. I’m not sure why but I suspect that part of it may be the brilliance of the colors, or maybe it’s the complexity of their formulation that captivate my fascination. But more than these, I like what rainbows symbolize. They symbolize a covenant between the Creator and His creation. This covenant was established during the days of Noah when God said, “This bow is the sign of the covenant I have established between Me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17) But what exactly does this covenant mean? The covenant referred to was God’s promise that He would never allow the earth to be completely destroyed by water again.

What an important promise to make because prior to the first flood, while Noah was still building the ark, no one had ever seen rain before. That is why Noah’s generation never believed his predictions about the oncoming flood or the need for an ark. They had no proof of rain’s existence until after it came. As a result, after the flood, God’s covenant – in the form of a rainbow, kept mankind from being terrified at the sight of a cloud because they knew that God had promised that rain would not result in total disaster.

That’s true in life too. We have often heard that into every life a little rain must fall. We are all faced with circumstances that could strike terror into our hearts and cause us to wonder if disaster that could completely destroy us is pending. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a child gone astray, an ending of a relationship or a business deal gone bad – all have the capability of creating fear and sorrow that could be never ending until we remember God’s rainbow promise to us. “Beloved, consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3 – 4)

Just as the rain in nature cause the growth of many living creatures and plants, so too does the rain that occurs in our lives. It creates perseverance and wisdom and teaches us to stand firm as we see the promises of God come to life in our circumstances. Just as the rainbow appears in the clouds after a rain, so too will the covenant of God’s promises appear in the fabric of a life totally surrendered to Him. Rainbows don’t appear before the storm. Their reassuring presence is only manifested as the clouds begin to clear.

If you are in the middle of one of life’s storms, and the flood waters seem as though they will engulf you, you can be sure of one thing – God’s covenant to you. Watch carefully for it. One day when you may least expect it, a brilliant, colorful ray will begin to form on the horizon and you will hear God’s voice in the gentle breeze whispering, “I, myself do establish my covenant with you…never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” ((Genesis 9:9, 15)