Today’s Scripture: Genesis 9:12-17
12 Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15 and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17 Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”
Today’s Devotional
Back in the early days of YouTube there was a video that went viral of a guy having an emotional reaction to a rainbow. If you don’t remember it, feel free to click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI Over 42 million people have seen it.
At first his reaction is just funny. Who is this guy? Why is he having a breakdown over a rainbow? A DOUBLE RAINBOW! But the more we watch it the more we get swept up in his reaction.
There’s something about rainbows. We all know how they are formed. We know that water and light combine in ways to produce them. But when we see them, we are almost always stopped in our tracks. Google “real rainbow pictures” and see just how often people take pictures of rainbows. We love them.
And yes, they ARE nice to look at. But I think there is something more going on with our love of rainbows. We have infused them with meaning. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. In fact, I think it’s biblical.
For Noah, the rainbow was a mark of God’s promise never to destroy humanity. For us, rainbows can be a reminder that whatever storm we are in – it will end; that for every chaos in which we find ourselves – God is there too. Rainbows can lift our eyes off our problems. They can focus us on brighter days ahead. They can encourage us.
I think God knows we need these little markers along our journey. I think God knows we need to be reminded that God is watching out for us – that God is protecting us – that God’s promises are true. These markers might be rainbows – but they could be anything that brings our mind back to God.
Here’s hoping you get to see some rainbows in the days ahead. And if not, that you will see evidence of God’s promise in some way – just like Noah did.
Today’s Prayer
God thank you for reminding us that you are with us – that your promises are true – and that you care and protect us. Help us to see your presence in small ways this day.
Amen
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