Rainbow Halo

Hi, and welcome to this Friday edition of Our Daily Bread. I'm Kirsten Holmberg and I titled today's reading Rainbow Halo. On a hike in the mountains, Adrian found himself above some low-lying clouds. With the sun behind him, Adrian looked down and saw not only his shadow, but also a brilliant display known as the broken specter. This phenomenon resembles a rainbow halo, encircling the shadow of the person.

It occurs when the sunlight reflects back off the clouds below. Adrian described it as a magical moment, one that delighted him immensely. We can imagine how similarly stunning seeing the first rainbow must have been for Noah. More than just a delight to his eyes, the refracted light and resulting colors came with a promise from God. After a devastating flood, God assured Noah, and all the living creatures who've lived since, that never again would the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

Our earth still experiences floods and other frightening weather that results in tragic loss. But the rainbow was a promise that God will never judge the earth again with a worldwide flood. This promise of his faithfulness can remind us that though we individually will experience personal losses and physical death on this earth, whether by disease, natural disaster, wrongdoing, or advancing age, God bolsters us with his love and presence throughout the difficulties we face. Sunlight reflecting colors through water is a reminder of his faithfulness to fill the earth with those who bear his image and reflect his glory to others.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Genesis, chapter 9, verses 12 through 17. 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 the 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 become 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.

So God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant I have established between Me and all life on the earth. Let's pray. Thank you, God, for your faithfulness to protect and provide for us by sustaining the natural laws of your creation. Help us to reflect your glory to those around us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. His encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.