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8 Then God spoke to Noah and his sons: 9 "I'm setting up my covenant with you including your children who will come after you, 10 along with everything alive around you - birds, farm animals, wild animals - that came out of the ship with you. 11 I'm setting up my covenant with you that never again will everything living be destroyed by floodwaters; no, never again will a flood destroy the Earth." 12 God continued, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. 13 I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. 14 From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, 15 I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth." 17 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I've set up between me and everything living on the Earth." (Genesis 9:8-17 The Message Bible)
Happy Wednesday, dear Friend. And HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! An update on Baby Ivy Escamilla is that she underwent her second open-heart surgery in four months and was resting comforgtably.Please continue to pray for this 22. month old infant and her family. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!
One of my favorite childhood memories were rainy days with my grandma, Momo, in her home, which was right behind ours. She loved the rain and it seemed every time it rain, kittens would appear under her porch. We're talking newborn kittens that we would dry off with a towel and to this day I can't remember what would happen to those kittens. I would be allowed to play in the rain water runoff on our front street, and I generally loved rainy days. Today's passage takes us to the most known of rainy days as found in The Bible. It was God speaking to Noah about the post-rain sign of a rainbow as a sign of a covenant "that never again will everything living be destroyed by floodwaters; no, never again will a flood destroy the Earth." (v.11). This was a covenant beyond imagination; not a punishment, but a sign of hope and a fresh start. I also remember the day I was to preach for the first time for a grade in my Preaching class in seminary, it rained. I wondered aloud to my professor as we both walked into the chapel is that was an omen. He stopped, smiled at me, and said, "What? A washing of the earth; a cleansing, a sign of newness?" Boom. He got me. I was looking for a way out and he showed me the way in. I thank God for that gentleman of faith; for he helped me prepare to preach. I should note that this was the day way before cameras on cellphones and we had an ancient huge camera, do I dare say black and white one? A huge Umatic video recorder and a playback on what had to be one of the world's largest monitors (B&W) where the professor and I would sit to, gulp, watch my sermon. For a grade. Gulp again.
Up in the sky, God placed a rainbow. Ah, rainbows, we could spend the rest of the time oohing and aah-ing about rainbows. They're just gorgeous and to this day, most of us will never tire of seeing them. There is nothing like a complete rainbow, one whose start and end you can see; and yes, you wonder if you could get to that end, find that pot of gold that leprechauns said would be there. But for this passage, know this: The rainbow signifies more than just aesthetics. It represents reconciliation, reminding us that even after broken promises or mistakes, God offers forgiveness and a chance to rebuild. It speaks of resilience, reminding us that life will bring storms, but we can weather them and emerge stronger. We can enjoy the beauty of the rainbow, but we also can think of the awesomeness of God's love for you and me.
The rainbow came after a devastating flood. Let us not forget this flood killed off all humanity save for eight people. 8. Noah and family. While the literal flood recedes, the passage invites us to reflect on personal floods we face – setbacks, losses, feelings of overwhelm. It offers a message of solace, reminding us that even in the midst of personal storms, God's promise of hope stands firm. Like a rainbow bridging dark clouds with sunshine, God's presence shines through, offering comfort and the promise of brighter days.
But God wanted a positive and loving response from humanity to this new covenant. This covenant isn't a passive promise; it calls for action. We are invited to live in a way that honors God's creation, respecting all living things and nurturing the fragile beauty of our world. It's a call to be bearers of hope, radiating compassion and reminding others of the promise etched in the sky, even when their own storms rage.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your enduring covenant, painted in rainbows and whispered in moments of grace. When storms threaten to drown us in despair, remind us of Your unwavering promise. Grant us the strength to weather our personal floods and the courage to be instruments of hope, reflecting Your love and reminding others of the rainbow that shines beyond the rain, in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Remember, even amidst the greyest clouds, hope remains, like a vibrant rainbow waiting to be discovered. Be a beacon of that hope, reminding yourself and others that even after the storm, the sun will rise again.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
