Over the Rainbow

I had planned our daughter, Blair’s fortieth birthday for several weeks, knowing exactly how I wanted to set up. I wanted a garden party with tables set up in front of the pond with family eating and fellowshipping all together. The weather man told me that Saturday was to be the best day of the weekend and I believed him. My husband cut the grass and did the weeding around the edge of the pond; I freshened up my flowers on the patio and cleaned off the back porch in preparation for the party. Just as folks were fixing plates and heading to find their seats, the sky grew dark and the rain began to fall….hard and fast.

There went my garden party and everyone’s spirits dipped a little. We had one table we could grab fast and pull into our shop and with other seating everybody was able to eat inside in the dry. We were all together as I had wanted, chattering and eating, children (and dogs) were running around playing. Okay, not too bad a party atmosphere I decided; then someone opened the door to see if it was still raining and wonder of wonders; there just over our pond was the most glorious rainbow I’d ever seen! And the end of it was in the pond! Several of us ran to grab phones to capture that image permanently.

In the scriptures, the rainbow is the sign of the promise God made to Noah after the flood and now it was a reminder to me that God cares about even the smallest of things in our everyday lives. He knew this day was important; that this family being together was important and even in my disappointment and frustration with the rain He loved me and cared enough to show it through our rainbow.

This verse from Isaiah 54:10 comes to mind, “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Even in the roar of chaos and upheaval He is promising to us His kindness and mercy.

I think usually when we spy a rainbow our minds go to that promise to Noah long ago which is found in Genesis 9:15-16, “And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it that I may remember the everlasting covenant.” God is faithful to His covenant and He is faithful in love even in my unfaithfulness!

Perhaps you too, will see an additional meaning at the next sight of a rainbow and be reminded of God’s love and just how much He wants to be a part of even the little things in our lives.

The last verse of this poem by Patricia Kubicki sums up this devotion:

His Rainbow of Promise is His Rainbow of love.

Touching my heart with soft colors from above.

A rainbow to heal me & show me "my Lord's face".

His rainbow of love daily colors me with grace.