Now is the time... To Look for the Rainbow

All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining through the clouds. This was the way the glory of the LORD appeared to me. When I saw it, I fell face down in the dust, and I heard someone's voice speaking to me. Ezekiel 1:28

Recently I received news that one of my aunts had passed away. She had been sick for a few short years but she and her husband of many years had fought a good fight together and stayed positive and thankful to the end. I know my uncle will miss her greatly, as will her older sister – they spoke on the phone for an hour every night – but I know that both will have many happy memories to draw upon in the days when their grief seems to overtake them.

Earlier this year as I was learning to settle back into Australian life after many years abroad and feeling a bit sad, I sent a friend some pictures we had taken of beautiful rainbow lorikeets in the tree across from our home. She wrote back “Isn’t God wonderful to give you rainbows at your door.” I realized as I read her words that indeed God had given me my ‘personal rainbow’ to cheer my heart when I was feeling a bit ‘undone’.

Later as I sat writing on my balcony the rainbows were back in their tree, reminding me that we need to actively look for God’s goodness and encouragement in each disappointment, loss or difficult time. He sure is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4) who comforts us in all our troubles …. so that we can comfort others when they are troubled. We can give them the same comfort God has given us, or at least point them to Jesus who is our hope and strong tower.

Today I prayed with a friend who is trying to see the rainbow right now. Their business is in difficulty because of a dishonest partner. My friend now has the added burden of stepping in to work in the business so that they can overcome this disappointment. She has every reason to be angry at the person who caused this predicament but as a Christian she refuses to think that way, but rather to ask God to give her a forgiving heart. I know that she is going to be able to say in the future as Joseph did, “What you meant for evil, the Lord meant for good.” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph refused to be bitter, he continued to do a good job wherever he found himself and God blessed him.

Our trials can be opportunities for us to go deeper; to stop and listen for God’s voice of comfort and encouragement or to look for the beauty of a rainbow, a rose, or even a smile, and be thankful. In our darkest days we can make the choice to turn to our God of all comfort and ask him for a ‘rainbow’. When we look for the rainbow, we are most likely to see the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, open my eyes today to see the rainbows around me. Open my ears to hear your words of comfort when my days are dark, and help me to be ready to pass on the comfort I receive from you to others who are in dark times. Amen