Growing up as a child, there was always something special about seeing a rainbow in the sky. Even as we grow older, we continue to look for a rainbow if there is some sunlight while it is raining. Many times, people think rainbows are messages from someone you have previously lost or a sign of hope. The power and meaning behind a rainbow is actually discussed in scripture. The first discussion of a rainbow takes place in Genesis 9. During this section, God is discussing the flood with Noah. After the water had finally started to recede and Noah found land, God made a promise to Noah which is detailed in Genesis 9: 13-16
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.
This rainbow signifies the everlasting covenant promise that He has made. God promises that He would not destroy the earth or flood all living things again. The sign of this promise is the rainbow. A rainbow is one of the tangible signs that God gives us that we can frequently see as a reminder of his promise. From this idea, we also learn how faithful God is in his promises. Due to us seeing the rainbow as a symbol of God’s promise to Noah, it also serves as a symbol of God’s faithfulness to all of his children.
Ezekiel 1:28 uses a rainbow to discuss something awe inspiring when it states
Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
In this verse the rainbow resembles God’s promise to preserve those that remain faithful to him. The other mentions of a rainbow in the bible are all big events or used to describe something that is stunning. I therefore challenge you everytime you see a rainbow to pause for a moment and consider the purpose of that rainbow.
Similarly, I believe we can act as a rainbow in the darkness. When searching for a topic to write for this devotional, I learned about the life of our Delta sister Katie Taaffe. While attending her Celebration of Life, her sisters talked about how she radiated joy and wanted to love on everyone she could. She often did this by creating art for her sisters and loved ones. Her motto was to find and be the rainbow in the rain. Regardless of whatever she was going through she urged everyone to find the positives and focus on their faith. From the stories I heard that evening, I believe Katie was the rainbow in many people’s lives in the storms that they were navigating. We should all strive to find the rainbow in the rain in our own lives as well as be rainbows to the people around us. Being a rainbow for others may entail being intentional in your relationships, just as God is intentional with Noah when keeping his promise. We can also do this by being loving and faithful to others. We can all try to be more like Katie and find and be the rainbow in the rain.