Daily Worship

rainbow

Fiona Campbell February 01, 2016 0 0

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.

noun: rainbow; plural noun: rainbows

An arch of colours visible in the sky, caused by the refraction and dispersion of the sun's light by rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere. The colours of the rainbow are generally said to be red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
 

Gold at the end of the Rainbow !

A rainbow is something of both extraordinary beauty and great mystery.  We’ve all seen one, and thought, “Wow, look at that !”     Many religions and philosphies have an explanation for this thing that is visible, yet elusive, and which can never be approached.     Perhaps that’s why the Irish leprechaun allegedly hides his pot of gold there !

The writer of the book of Genesis sets out the idea that God has designed the rainbow to appear after the storm and flood to assure his people of his covenant of love and care with them.     If ever people need reassurance that God is with them, it’s in those kind of circumstances - just ask the good folk of Dumfries & Galloway, Aberdeenshire and Deeside, who are trying to rebuild lives and businesses after the recent flooding.

 

Prayer

Lord, at this darkest time of the year,
it’s great to see a burst of colour in a rain-soaked sky;
a sign of light through gloom; beauty in adversity.
Sometimes, Lord, I feel weighed down like the rolling rainclouds,
cut off from the cheerfulness of others by my own difficulties.
It says in the Bible that your love can chase away my fears –
but sometimes it hard to find you in the muddle of my challenges.
May your Holy Spirit shine the colours of the rainbow into my life this week –
Give me light though my gloom; beauty in my adversity.
Truly your love and care are gold : a precious discovery to give me hope and confidence.
And it’s not just for me, Lord.   Let me share with you my concern for others – known and unknown –
who are flooded with difficulties : tired of struggling to solve problems.
Open their hearts and minds to your mysterious presence, alongside them
right there in the midst of everyday life.
Help them, and me, to look up and see the rainbow – your promise of care – always.

Amen.