We don’t get to see rainbow everyday. It appears only when there is a slight drizzle and sunshine. If there is not slight drizzle, there is no rainbow. If the rain is too heavy, there is not rainbow. If there is no bright sunshine, there is no rainbow.
So, to get a perfect rainbow across the horizon, one which is a perfect semi circle is a rarity. If I see it, I will be so happy and gleeful.
A lot of poems and songs have waxed lyrical about how a rainbow appears only after a rain. It means, out of sadness, come the beautiful and promising rainbow. So, a rainbow is supposed to herald good news.
Well, it is not the order of the day many years ago. Once, my hubby and I were driving frantically down to KL to visit our fourth son who was in the ICU in UMMC. We had to reluctantly leave him there because there are other children to attend to here in Penang. His trip to UMMC was an emergency one so we had not enough time to arrange much. Hence, we had to leave him there in the care of the nurses and doctors while we dashed home to Penang. Then, drove down again the next two days.
On the way, I saw a rainbow over the limestone hills of Ipoh. I told myself that it is a sign that good news is awaiting me. But nope, the very next two days, we drove home with his cold, lifeless body wrapped in a white cloth, in the darkness.
After that, I don’t believe in rainbows anymore. I don’t believe in anything anymore. Until today, when I see a rainbow, I still feel happy and excited. But I also cannot forget the great disappointment I had in believing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
I just Google for rainbow in the Bible. Rainbow is mentioned in three books, i.e. Genesis, Ezekiel and Revelation. God said to Noah in Chapter 9, Genesis :
13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.
What do the verses above said? Well, I am not sure. After all, a rainbow is just a refraction of millions of droplets in the air. See? Nothing amazing. We can make our own rainbow too. One tends to become cynical after too much rain, I think. All those clouds, heavy rain and darkness probably snuff out my rainbow.
December 25th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Well, my understanding is that the Lord had the rainbow as a promise that he would never destroy the earth by flood again.
And this is a personal interpration (maybe spelling error)….when we accept Jesus as our Lord Saviour, he is our only Lord and God. We are in covenant with Him cause Jesus is a God of covenant. We are not to say there are other ways and religion that lead us into the one God because Jesus is the only way. When we compromise this (which is different from respecting other religion/beliefs), we are actually breaking our covenant with Jesus and the 1st and most important of the 10 commandments. Just sharing….