And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters becoma a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Genesis 9: 12-16
When I was researching Bible verses for a Lenten study, I was a bit surprised to find these verses among the suggestions, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. The story of Noah is, at heart, a smaller salvation story. People sinned against God. God pronounced His judgment. God provided a plan for salvation. Then, God made a covenant with people. It mirrors the Salvation Story that we commemorate during the events Holy Week, except that it was limited to a smaller section of humanity. Both stories show that God, for His own purposes, has determined to save us.
As we endure our current hardships, is it not a comfort to know that God has already determined to save us? Just like the people of Noah’s day, and the people throughout the history of the Bible, we continue to let God down through either our action or inaction, but He continually plans to rescue us. He rescues us from both the natural consequences of our behavior, but also from his judgment, a punishment we rightfully deserve. Let’s take these moments of isolation from each other and abide with our God, who has already determined to save us.
Father, we thank you for determining to save us, even when we don’t deserve it. Be with us and strengthen us in our period of isolation. We ask you to abide in our hearts, Lord, and to abide in our homes and in each of our family members. Help us to look for the rainbows in our midst, the little reminders of your love and protection over us. Amen.
