The origin of rainbow
Growing up, I was told that there was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, and I actually kind of believed it, although I was not fully convinced. The only problem for me was figuring out where the end of that rainbow was.
It was not after many years later, or decades rather, that I read my Bible for the first time and found out that God created a rainbow as a sign in the sky after He brought great waters to flood the earth. The rainbow was His promise that He would never flood the earth again. Such an assuring promise and one that speaks hope. I guess that is also why anyone would agree that a rainbow is a beautiful sight, regardless of your background and belief.
The source of truth
As for me, I was in search of the truth. My belief is that anything can be traced back to its source of truth, and to me, it is the Bible.
I remember many years back, I suffered a miscarriage and was left completely numb in my heart. I was so angry and in so much pain because I lost my baby. Friends and relatives with goodwill came and tried their best to comfort me, but no words or gestures could remove the pain in my heart. At the end of the day when the visits ended, I would be left even more tired, not just physically but emotionally as well.
So I decided to read my Bible. I knew enough stories to pick one back then. I decided to read about David because he suffered the same pain, his baby died. I still remember to this day the feeling I had when I was reading it. It does not make any sense, but the pain in my heart was completely gone as I was reading. I was completely calm and at peace as if I never felt any pain in the first place. After I 'left' the Word, the pain came back, but it was much lesser. There and then I knew the Bible was not just any book, the book is alive and it speaks to those who are of Him.
Genesis 6
Back to the origin of the rainbow. The Bible shares a fascinating story in Genesis 6, it explains why God would flood the earth and destroy everything He created, except Noah and His family. Why did He single out one family and say that Noah found grace in His eyes, that God even called him just and perfect in his generation?
After some studies, I learned that God destroyed the world at that time because He loved mankind.
It all started in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve fell when God prophesied that the seed of Eve would one day crush Satan's head - this speaks of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, who came four thousand years later. The devil had since been trying to kill the promised seed, starting with Abel, Eve's son, guessing it was Abel to be the promised seed.
It was not long before he thought that the best way to prevent the seed from coming was to defile human flesh and DNA. So his fallen angels took women as wives, breeding giants, and Nephilim that went on committing great evil on earth. So much so the Bible says God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).
Noah was the only pure human breed left at that time and God preserved them so that Jesus, the promised Seed, could come as a human to redeem mankind just as God prophesied.
This depiction was once again mentioned in book of Isaiah chapter 54, right after chapter 53 where it prophesied of the coming Messiah who would come to take away sins. This Messiah had come, Jesus Christ, and Noah's ark was a picture of Christ. God is saying that whosoever believes in His Son, the true ark, for salvation will be saved from judgment. Because Jesus has taken away the sins of the world, whosoever that takes part in His faith, receives forgiveness of sins by the grace of God and receives the gift of righteousness where God can only be good and gracious towards us.
For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
Isaiah 54:9-10
A miraculous experience
I think it was twelve years ago when a rainbow started to be a tangible sign of hope and God's faithfulness in my life as I went through challenging and stormy seasons. In those days, I would pray and ask God for a sign to keep on going, and a few times He gave me a rainbow in the sky.
I remember a few years back, my mother fell very ill due to COVID. One morning, during my walk in a park with this burden, I sensed a voice telling me to look up, so I did. There I saw a rainbow. Strangely, no one else seemed to notice it, it was as though God put it there just for me, to tell me everything would be alright. I could not help but just stood there and cried. I felt His love flood through my heart. I did not fully understand, but I knew it was Him. Little did I know that it was His promise of hope for what I was about to face.
Shortly after, in a matter of days, my mother was in the ICU, on the brink of death. Doctors told us it was an impossible case, her lung was completely infected. All I heard around me was voices of fear and despair. But then I was reminded of the rainbow God gave me just a few days ago and I chose to hold on to His promise of hope, to His promise that said everything would be alright.
Through His faithfulness, my mother miraculously recovered after being in the ICU for two months. The doctors were in awe and told us it was a miracle. But God had the final say and gave her life. She's in better health now than before she fell ill. God is indeed good and faithful.
This mug is especially for you who are hoping in God for a miracle. As His testimony of a faithful God is imparted to you, be reminded on why you can choose joy. You can choose joy because your hope in Jesus will not be put to shame. Jesus had won and every promise of God is yes and amen in Christ. He is now seated at the Father's right hand (speaks of authority) and He is above all principalities, power, dominion, and above every name that can be named whether on earth or in the heavenly - and He is for you. All of Heaven is for you because you are a covenant child in Christ.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Romans 8:28-34
As you start your day and have coffee (or tea) with Jesus, may you experience His perfect and complete love to stay in hope and good expectation. Choosing joy is your faith believing the best of the Father's heart for you. He only has rainbows for you, beloved!
