Somewhere between the clouds and the sunlight,
there
is place where the rainbow hides.
When
the sun is out, and the rain falls, I always look
across the sky, and scan the horizon. I anticipate
a rainbow.
If
I am driving, and the rain splashes my windshield,
it can become a dangerous moment on the road. I
find it difficult not to crane my neck in every
direction, looking for that glorious display of
light and color.
Today,
one of those moments occurred. Crossing the small
bridge on North Street, coming into Salem, I caught
sight of a rainbow, out of the corner of my eye.
I quickly turned my head, to discover a full 180¼
bow cutting the sky in half.
Momentarily,
I forgot I was driving, but grace or good living
somehow allowed that no cars were in immediate striking
distance. Quickly I recovered, and returned to driving
in my own lane.
The
words above, formed in my head like a James Taylor
tune,
"Somewhere
between the clouds and the sunlight,
there
is place where the rainbow hides."
and
I sang.
Allusions
to Biblical promises are evident in the rainbow.
A promise of God's grace to spare the world from
cataclysmic judgment by means of flooding, is the
story of the rainbow's beginning. The days of Noah
would not be repeated. But, something else captured
my attention today.
In
the chance meeting of the rain cloud, and the sunlight,
the rainbow is born. It peeks out of the cloudy
womb, and says hello to a waiting world.
Out
of the storm clouds, the light shines to promise
better times, and brighter promises. I need that
reminder from time to time.
I
will not look at a rainbow the same again. I will
be reminded, that there are Divine intentions toward
me which are benevolent. God is good, and wants
to be good to me.
When
I am struggling with debts, or relationships, or
sickness, or sorrow, or fear; I know that these
circumstances do not change the fundamental value
of Divine intention toward me. God is still good,
and still wants to be good to me.
This
truth is hidden in the shadows of everyday living.
Between the bills and the disagreements, between
the pain and the discouragements, I do not readily
consider that God wants to be good to me. Life under
the rain cloud is consuming.
Yet,
the light of day frequently peeks it's head into
the cloudy circumstances of my life, and I am reminded
that there is hope beyond my personal moments of
darkness. Like the rainbow, this hope comes from
above, and surprises me. God shows that He is good,
and that He wants to be good to me.
Let
the next rainbow you see, be a reminder that there
are Divine intentions toward you which are good.
An ancient Prophet said it like this,
"For
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith
the LORD,
thoughts
of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected
end."
Somewhere
between the clouds and the sunlight,
there is place where the rainbow hides.
