Rainbows!

A storm rolled through town tonight.  My family and I were watching my son at Tae Kwon Do.  Suddenly the rains came and the thunder struck.  I walked through the rain to pick my wife and children up at the curb.  A rainbow appeared as we were leaving the parking lot.  Driving home, every one in the van strained to see the colors in the sky.  That’s when I said, “God is telling us, ‘Hi.'”

Let me stop here.  For those of you who don’t know me personally, I never say weird things like that.  Typically, that kind of “Christianese” simply annoys me.  But for some reason, this time, it was different.

I was reminded of what God told us in Genesis 9:12-15…

Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come.  I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.  When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.

Somewhere along the way, rainbows became associated with different movements or stereotypes.

As a child of the ’80’s, I remember when liking rainbows made you a “girl.”

Rainbows were somehow linked with unicorns and Rainbow Brite.

Now in our modern era, the rainbow has become the proud symbol of the gay and lesbian community.  A flag waving with rainbow colors declares, “PRIDE.”

Yet, I stared into the colors of this rainbow.  Each color shining clear and bright.  A near, complete arch, stood proudly displayed in the sky.  A bold reminder that rainbows are not girlie.  They shouldn’t be linked with unicorns and fairies.  And it is far bigger than a community of people.  The rainbow stands alone as God’s promise to mankind.  A promise to never again flood and destroy all of humanity.

In all honesty, I don’t fully understand God’s mindset when it comes to the flood.  But there is one thing I know…the rainbow is His.

It is a symbol of mercy and grace.

It is a symbol of His covenant.

It’s God saying, “Hey, I’m still here.”

It is His.

I probably won’t stop and stare at every rainbow I see.  I won’t get “girlie” every time the rain comes and a rainbow appears.  I’m just not like that.  But for some reason, tonight was different.  God giving me a nudge.  A simple…

Hi, Stan.  My promise is still good.  They never fail.  I love you.

What do rainbows mean to you?