The Rainbow Covenant

Brrrrrrr..... 52 degrees in my room this morning. In Corvallis this week, we saw a few inches of snow and temperatures dipping into the teens. Cold, but I thank God for all the seasons, and isn't it these cold times that make those warm evenings outside so blessed? When I lived in California I certainly didn't appreciate sunshine a much as I do now, but I digress.

Anyone else in Corvallis see the rainbow this week? I caught a glimpse of it as I was at work, and I must admit I had a bit of a moment.

"Some" might see a rainbow, and appreciate it as a simple optical phenomenon that exhibits the full color spectrum in the sky.

Well, today I would like to write about rainbows, Love's promises, and to basically say that "Some's" analysis of the rainbow is just plain lazy.

What does it mean?

It all starts in that old story of Noah. Remember the one? Of course you do! Dude goes "crazy" after he hears God and spends a hundred years building a boat in the middle of the desert. O yes, and then the world floods because God is so dismayed by man, and Noah and his family are the only ones saved, because he found favor in God's eyes, and was obedient.

So, there is then one hundred and fifty days of yachting, a dove, an olive branch, and a "Land-ho!" on Mt. Ararat.

But then, God starts talking to Noah again...

"This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will flood waters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth." And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I've set up between me and everything living on the Earth." - Genesis 9:12-17 (The Message)

Do you get it?

Now here is what hit me this week in my moment with the rainbow.

Dan: "Father... How?"

How can you make such a promise? I'm not arguing, but have you seen this old world? Neighbor killing neighbor. Children orphaned by AIDS and mortars every day. Rising oil prices, falling property values, and Justin Bieber. It's out of control!

Why not start over again?

Because, now there is a hope.

Jesus died once and for all for me, and for you, and for this whole world. He came as an intercessor stating, "Yes! Absolute annihilation is what this world deserves yet again, but my Father can't stand the thought of losing you, so he sent me to bare the weight of the flood on the cross. I will pay bail, so you don't have to."

"Never again will the flood waters destroy all life."

This week, will you join me in remembering Jesus. If it's raining on your head, or in your heart, please repeat with me:

"Thank you Jesus. Never again must the waters destroy my life."

And when you find yourself asking "Where is the love of God when the waves turn the minutes into hours?" Then don't forget what we talked about last week.

Where is the Youtube? I thought about one video all week, and I debated whether to share it or not. I didn't want to and actually searched high and low for a better alternative. Well, as you can see I posted the now infamous "double rainbow guy." If you don't know who "double rainbow guy" is, then this is your warning, it's absolutely over the top. A guy sees a double rainbow in the Yosemite valley and flips out.

I'll let you decide for yourself if he's sober.

But, to be honest, I think his reaction is much more appropriate then "Some's."

Enjoy it... IT'S SO INTENSE!