Like a lot of other people, I've had floods on my mind. I know of some who have had to re-start their lives due to flooding. My friend, Lisa, moved to Tennessee after Hurricane Katrina and started a new life.
Our current pastor is from New Orleans and lost everything in those same floods. This past week, his in-laws were displaced again by flooding in Louisiana. They had to be rescued from their home where they moved after Hurricane Katrina. They have again lost everything!
I heard a newscaster say, regarding those whose homes were flooded, "Everything they own is ruined."
The word ruined struck me because I've used this same word a lot in the past several years in regard to things in my own life that I no longer feel the same way about because they were ruined to me.
My younger sister recently used this word to describe her life after her son committed suicide.
Sometimes an "event" in our lives that we don't expect can make us feel ruined.
Just like those living too close to a river that overflows it's banks and ruins everything it comes in contact with, so it is the same, at times, in our own personal lives. Things we loved are washed away and we will never be the same.
This past Saturday, I sat on the deck of our new home reading a book (Little Women) I recently found at a yard sale and I heard something that caught my attention. I realized the sound I heard was rain hitting the trees a little way from our house but the rain hadn't made it's way to me yet.
I found it interesting because I heard the rain and knew it was coming before it was visible in the field next to our house. I waited and eventually saw the shower of rain falling in our yard but the sun was still shining. I thought, I bet there's a rainbow.
Then I turned around and right behind me was a huge double rainbow that looked like it was ending right in the field behind our house.
I could not believe it!
I jumped up and snapped some pictures then took a video with my phone. I banged on the bedroom window close to me to let my son and his friend who was visiting know to come outside and see the rainbow. They tried to run after the end of the rainbow but it dissipated before they could reach it. :)
It was some excitement, I tell you! You don't see a huge double rainbow like that often. As a matter of fact, I've NEVER seen one like that in my entire life. It felt almost supernatural because it was so close.
Now, I've got floods, rainbows and promises on my mind!
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 earth."
So, God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between Me and all life on the earth." Genesis 9:12-17 NIV
Yes, it will still flood. Rivers will overflow their banks and homes will be destroyed. But ALL life will never be destroyed again by a flood. God promised.
Yes, we will experience "life floods" where we feel like everything is completely ruined. But we will not be completely destroyed because God is with us through those floods. He will not leave us. He will not forsake us. God says so.
My husband was not with me on the porch when the rainbow appeared. He was driving in the driveway and snapped this picture of our new home with the double rainbow shining behind it.
A beautiful reminder that God keeps His PROMISES.