God speaks to His people in many different ways. We see this truth throughout the Bible. God also speaks to different people in different ways. For me, there are particular scriptures He speaks to me to direct me. He also speaks to me through many things in our natural world. One of those things is a rainbow.
There have been many times in my life when I needed a reminder of the promises and faithfulness of God. Often, during those seasons, God has put rainbows in the sky for me. When I see a rainbow – I see covenant. I see faithfulness. I see promise.
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; (Gen 9:12-15)
One day, a week or so ago, Bre, Brailee and I were driving back from Deer Creek Ranch where Brailee has her horse lessons. Up in the sky ahead of us was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. It went from one end of the sky to the other – it was awesome. Bre and I were in awe of the size of the rainbow. Not only its size, but the colors were incredible!
We went around a curve in the road and suddenly saw an additional rainbow. There was a double rainbow in front of us and a giant, brilliant rainbow behind us. I had never seen two rainbows in two different areas of the sky at one time. We were literally surrounded by rainbows. In that moment, this simple sign from God spoke to me and I knew we were surrounded by the covenant promises of God.
Two days later, I was awakened early one morning with a phone call from my sister. She said, “I hate to tell you this but…” My precious Aunt Sherry had suddenly passed. She was more than an aunt to me. My mom raised her. She lived with us. She taught me quilting, canning and we shared a love of Longaberger baskets. She and I went shopping together a lot – we laughed together – and we loved each other. My heart was broken that morning. Breanne was also very close to Aunt Sherry – she was like a second mom to her. She was devastated as well.
It was sudden, without warning. There were no goodbye’s. No closure. Just devastation. That morning, home alone, I was silent. I didn’t have any music playing, which is not normal for me. I wasn’t talking to God about anything. It was just quiet. In the midst of that quietness, I heard God speak to my heart. “Remember the rainbows” He said. In that moment, I knew we were surrounded by God and His faithfulness. Those words and that sign on His covenant got me through that week.
It wasn’t easy. It was the most difficult funeral I would speak at. The morning before the funeral, I was with my sister. We were going to order flowers and get some things done for the funeral. That week, I had been praying for God to show me Aunt Sherry was at peace. Unbeknownst to me, my sister, Keva, had been praying the same thing. That morning, we stopped at the post office. I had a note in my box saying I had a package. I took it to the counter and retrieved the package and sat it in Keva’s back seat.
“Aren’t you going to open it?” She asked. I responded, “Well, I didn’t intend to today, but I will.”
I got my knife and opened the box. Inside was a note from one of my precious partners. In the box was a quilt and a Longaberger basket. We were in awe. The two things my Aunt Sherry and I had most in common. It was in that moment that Keva told me she had been praying for God to show us Aunt Sherry was okay – that box was like a precious message from God and Sherry – saying, “All is well.”
God never ceases to amaze me. He went before me, knowing what was coming. He sent me rainbows that surrounded me and then sent a package that touched the depths of my soul that day. I am so very thankful for His goodness to me.
My friends, we are surrounded by a loving God. We are surrounded by His goodness, His presence and His promises. Never think anything different. When life gets difficult, lean into Him. He is right there speaking…watch for Him, listen for Him and trust in His faithfulness.
