The Rainbow is God's Promise To Us

God’s Promise in the Rainbow
A Reflection for the First Sunday of Lent 2009
Based on the readings from: Genesis 9:8-16, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:12-15

The first reading for the first Sunday in Lent is from the book of Genesis and tells of God’s promise to Noah and his sons after the great flood. It begins with these words; “Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Since we trust in God we can know that the end of the world will not be from floods. It is the next portions of the reading I find more significant for those who have chosen a rainbow for their symbol. The Rainbow Nation because it symbolized the diversity of ethnic groups that make up the world. The GLBT community because it symbolizes the diversity of God’s children in regards to sexual orientation. I believe that we should be encouraged by God‘s promise . “ 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 you and I and all living creatures of every kind. …. 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."(Genesis 9:8-15)
Whenever we see the rainbow symbol we need to remember that God created every living thing on the face of the earth and has made a covenant with all living things. Since God creates people with their sexual orientation we should never discriminate against them for it but recall that God must have had his reasons for creating people this way and therefore we should never be so bold as to question God’s purpose for then we give ourselves over to the will of Satan because that is exactly how he was cast out of God’s presence. Satan felt he could challenge God and be as great as God. Ever since he was tossed out of Heaven he has attempted to tempt every human creature God has created from Adam and Eve to even Jesus Christ.
The Gospel reading from Mark 1:12-15 tell how Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert for the forty days Christ spent there in preparation for his public ministry. It is used to remind us that Satan will not discriminate against any one even the Son of God. In fact, the closer one try to be to God the more and greater the temptations Satan will use to turn us away. I mean, if Satan thought he might have a chance to convince Christ to abandon his ministry what makes us think he would ever leave us alone.
The Gospel story ends with these words; “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
“THE GOOD NEWS” exactly what was the good news? It was that Almighty God is a merciful, forgiving, and infinitely loving God and we can achieve the promise of eternal life by living as Christ taught us with these words; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Luke 10:27) The reading from 2 Peter 3:18-22 reminds us of What Christ’s mission was “Christ died for sins once and for all, for the righteous and for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. God wants us to come to Him," God loves ALL His children. “Christ was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the Ark only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes the water of baptism that now saves you now. You were saved in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”
Lent is the time when we are called to take stock of our selves in regards to our relationship with God and how well we are following the teachings Christ gave us on how to live. Every time we see a rainbow we should recal that we are called by God to live our lives in a manner that hurts no one and exudes our love of God to all we encounter. We need to recognize and applaud God’s diversity and know His love has no boundaries and is given freely to all who seek it with purity of heart.
God will never break His promise neither should we break our promise made in the waters of our Baptism. At the end of every storm there is a rainbow to remind us of God’s love for us. AMEN