Thought for the Day - Wednesday 24 June

Thought for the Day – Wednesday 24^th June

‘God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”’ (Genesis 9: 12-17)

While we know the earth needs the rain and that our reservoirs require to be filled once more if we are to have fresh water to drink and in which to bathe, nonetheless it is always wonderful to wake up on a sunny morning. Yes, I know the sight of a rainbow can be make us feel wonderful too as we glimpse all those bright colours in the sky but the sunshine lifts our mood almost immediately, we know we can be outdoors if we wish (that is, if we are allowed at this time of ‘Lockdown’), the brightness bring a certain lightness to our mood, to our lives and indeed we know it is good for our health too after such a long time indoors with all that Vitamin D we can glean from the sunshine. As many of you agree when I speak with you on the phone we have been fortunate during our time of Lockdown to have had so much sunshine and only a few days of rain.

I wonder what it must have been like for Noah and his family the other way around – all those days of rain and no sunshine. I wonder if they ever gave up hope of seeing the sun again. I wonder if they became increasingly grumpy with each other as the rainy days went on and on possibly with dark moods developing and deepening within them. I wonder if they ever began to doubt God – if they ever began to think he was not there anymore for them and he was not going to keep his promise to them after his flooding of the earth. 

To see the sun once more and to see that wonderfully coloured arc in the sky must have been amazing for them particularly after so many days of dull dark clouds so to see so much colour in the sky must have been mind-blowing for them. Even more so because it was a sign from God that he would never abandon them – he would always keep his promises to them – he would be with them through thick and thin.

I wonder how we are all beginning to feel after so many weeks of ‘Lockdown’. I wonder if at times we wonder if God has abandoned us, if our moods are darkening or if we are losing hope in his promise to us.

Well, if we are feeling low, we should try and remember that the covenant that was made with Noah so many years ago still applies to us today!

God is with us and will always be with us through thick and thin he has made a promise to us and he will not break that promise. We may not see a rainbow every day to remind us of that promise but if we look carefully we can see God all around us!

Here’s a wee song from our hymnbook which always cheers me up when I sing it and it reminds me that God is all around if I remember to look!

Maybe it will cheer you up too if you sing it through – even more so if you imagine our church family children singing it and the enjoyment which is usually on their faces as they do. 

CH4 143 © Paul Booth

Who put the colours in the rainbow?

Who put the salt in the sea?
Who put cold in the snowflake?

Who made you and me?
Who put the hump upon the camel?

Who put the neck on the giraffe?
Who put the tail upon the monkey?

Who made hyenas laugh?
Who made whales and snails and quails?
Who made dogs and hogs and frogs?
Who made bats and rats and cats?
Who made everything?

Who put the gold in the sunshine?

Who put the sparkle in the stars?
Who put the silver in the moonlight?

Who made Earth and Mars?
Who put the scent into the roses?

Who taught the honey-bee to dance?
Who put the tree inside the acorn?

It surely can't be chance!
Who made seas and leaves and trees?

Who made snow and winds that blow?
Who made streams and rivers flow?

God made all of these!   

Prayer

Loving God,

God of storms and rainbows, God of rain and sunshine, God of all creation we praise and adore you. May we in times of uncertainty, in any storm of life, remember the wonderful colours and light of the rainbow, remember its silent promise, remember the covenant of you forever being there for and with us. May we look at all times for your comforting presence in all creation and find there the courage we need for whatever we may face in life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen