My Rainbow

“I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a token or sign of a covenant (solemn pledge, promise) between Me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

My birthday was yesterday. It had been raining steadily for the previous week or two. I was sick of the rain. I prayed of a rainless birthday. I believed God for my rainless birthday. I told my friends that it would not rain, because surely God would approve of my prayer request on my birthday. He honors birthday requests more highly than other requests…it only makes sense from my limited perspective!
My awesome God had a bigger and better plan. When I saw the rain coming at about 3:30 in the afternoon, I was nervous. My heart dropped when the torrential downpour started on my drive home. God did not only allow the rain, but He allowed it to rain harder than I had seen in the past two weeks. I know it was a petty thing, but I questioned His receptivity of my prayers. I questioned His intimate involvement in my every day life. It was incredibly silly and short-sighted of me. But I still felt it, and I expressed it to Him.

What I didn’t see was His “over-arching” plan with His rain on my celebratory day. The temporary downpour led to something so amazingly astounding. It led to something that God would use to remind me of His promises for my future. The sun came out as the rain was clearing up. It was steamy and the sun was actually shining through the raindrops. I always think it is so odd when that happens. Sun and rain just don’t seem like they should exist together. As I was sitting at dinner, God had conveniently provided a perfect view of the sky in all directions. I haven’t seen a rainbow all season, but God graced my special day with a weather event that was far greater than a sunny day. He provided me with a rainbow on the heels of the storm. How amazing is that?

My life has been stormy and rainy. I have experienced the down pour and the distress of tribulations. But God is brining His rainbow that can only be seen at the perfect time as the Son intersect with the raindrops in the atmosphere of my life to create the perfect prism. The hand of the Master Painter of the universe and of my little precious life perfects this bright array of colors is such a creative work of art. He destroys to build back. He destroyed a corrupt planet in order to build it back in righteousness and new life. He allowed my life to be torn down in order to be restored in freshness and redemption. He has promised me hope and a future. He has promised that the destruction will not end in death but for His glory. He showed His promise in the rainbow at 7:30 on Friday evening, May 29, 2009. This token was His best birthday present to me. I am so thankful that He allowed the rain, because the rain was the only way to see His rainbow.

I am so grateful for my rainbow and for the rain and the storm, because only in that could I experience the fullness of God’s glory. His plan is so much higher. Who can discern it? But I will trust it as I rely on and confidently lean on His promises.