Rainbows of Promise
Years ago, while driving out in the western part of the United States, we were in an area called Rainbow Valley. A light rain washed the dust off our car. Off in one direction we could see the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. And then we saw the largest, longest rainbow we had ever seen. It stretched out along a plateau. This rainbow was so beautiful!
The uncanny thing was that as we continued to drive along for the next hour or so, the rainbow appeared to travel right with us. We even stopped the car several times to get out and stare at it. We never found out what caused such an unusual sight, apparently common to this area and the reason the valley was given its name. But we loved the event. We had certainly not anticipated it when we got up that morning.
I thought of the rainbow as like God's love; it follows us along wherever we go, wherever we are, bringing unexpected blessings.
Sometimes it seems just the opposite. We think that we have things all figured out in our lives and then something goes wrong. It can seem pretty dark and stormy at times of severe illness or when life offers no promise. It might look like it will never stop raining troubles of one sort or another.
But wait a moment. The Bible says that "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Corinthians 4:6). Jesus was able to bring healing to the darkest corners of human lives because his thought was bathed in light-in the knowledge that God is good and that His creation is perfect.
You may have been in a sudden severe storm, when black clouds have moved in from nowhere. The winds howl and everything gets drenched. Then just as suddenly the sky lightens and the rain lessens. And at that moment, if you look for it, you often will see a rainbow. That wonderful prism of color hints of God's love. It can be a reminder that the sunshine of God's goodness never ceases, is always waiting to bless us, if we'll just look for the rainbow of His promise right now.
There's a poem I like called "Love," written by Mary Baker Eddy. The same Truth that enabled Jesus to heal was revealed to her through study of his works. She called what she discovered Christian Science. Some lines from her poem say, " 'Let there be light, and there was light.' / What chased the clouds away? / 'Twas Love whose finger traced aloud / A bow of promise on the cloud" (Poems, p. 7). Here Love is God.
Even in the middle of clouds of trouble, right there, if we'll look for it, can always be found a "bow of promise." This is because God's presence can always be found when we seek it.
Disappointment doesn't evolve so much from what is happening as from our feeling low because things aren't working out the way we want. At such times, we need to yield to God's will. We can trust that, as our loving Parent, God wants us to have all good. Good comes in assorted packages. It's like the gifts people give one another. They come in big packages, little packages, surprise packages. But behind each package is someone who cares for us, wants to give us good, and sees something we need or something that will bring good into our lives. A lot of thought usually goes into the gifts others give us. Some gifts have opened up whole new possibilities the recipients never would have thought of alone. A gift can even change the course of our lives. This all hints at how God, who made us in His image and likeness, knows us intimately and gives us good that is tailor-made for us.
God's gift to us is His promise of perpetual good, of safety and security found only by trusting in Him. Understanding God brings healing whenever needed. His promises are kept. Because God is always with us, loving us and supporting us, we don't have to wait for good to come. Good surrounds us. And to let go of what we think we may have wanted long enough to see what super things God has planned for us, is to discover that today is arched over with the rainbow of God's promise.
The Christian Science Sentinel, a weekly magazine, contains more articles on God's power to heal.
