Every time I see a rainbow . . .

Every time I see a rainbow. . .

            I left Nashville this afternoon after a visit with my son with storms threatening.  A tower of storm clouds on one side contrasted with the brilliant summer sun on the other.  I hoped I would outrun the storm.  I hate to drive in hard rain.  The rain held off.  Then I saw a half rainbow, one end on the ground, the other ending in the storm cloud.  Then came a spatter of rain, with the sun still shining brilliantly, then a harder, but brief shower.  While the rain came down I realized that the rainbow was now a full bow, both ends anchored to the ground.  And I was driving through the center of the bow!  The rain ended; the bow disappeared, but it did not disappear from my mind.

            We have had major storms this spring and summer in the physical world—torrents of rain, wind, hail, tornadoes even.  But in each of our lives we have other storms.  Some are financial; the air conditioning goes out, the doctor’s bills mount, perhaps we have even lost our jobs.  Some are physical—the fatigue, the discouraging report from the doctor, the unexpected surgery.  Some are emotional—depression, anxiety, grief, fear, anger.  Some are familial—older parents who need more and more help, children who are struggling (sometimes even adult children), marriages in crisis.  Some are spiritual storms—doubt, struggles with our faith.  No one is immune to storms.  We all face them.

            But for every storm there is a rainbow, sometimes too dim to really be certain of what we have seen; sometimes as clear as the one I saw on the way home from Nashville.  But every rainbow represents the end of a storm, the promise of clear blue skies.

            When I was a teenager I sang in a women’s trio.  One of the few songs that I remember we sang was by John W. Peterson.  I always remember the words when I see a rainbow:

            Every time I see a rainbow shining in the sky above

            I remember God’s great mercy and His faithfulness and love.

            When there’s a rainbow in the sky,

The clouds that frowned go smiling by.

            ‘Tis a promise written there of a Father’s love and care

                        When there’s a rainbow in the sky.

            The clouds will pass; the storm will spend itself; the rainbow of God’s mercy will shine.  His mercies are new every morning.  His faithfulness and love are limitless.  I am grateful for rainbows to remind me of Him.

                                                            ~~ Faith Lamb