A rainbow blanket, birthday cake and a daddy who loves you. What could be better than that?
I love rainbows. Rainbows are beautiful and fascinating. When I see a rainbow, it reminds me of God’s promise that He would never again destroy the whole world with a flood. Thousands of years later, God is still keeping that promise and He always will. Yes, we still have floods on earth and floods can be very destructive, but we have never experienced a flood of the magnitude that Noah went through and we never will because God is trustworthy. He keeps His promises.
When I see a rainbow, I also marvel at the beauty that God created. Rainbows are created by the sun’s rays shining through drops of water after the rain separating and bending the light into a spectrum of beautiful colors. The colors are in the sunlight all along, but it takes the droplets of rain to bend and separate the light so that we can see beautiful colors. How like God to take the raindrops from the storms in our life to create something so beautiful! As we give our storms, our tears, our drops of rain to God, He shines through us with the sunshine of His love and creates beauty; a rainbow of colors displaying to the world around us the amazing love of a God who keeps His promises. Raindrops are an opportunity for God to shine through us revealing the beauty that He creates within each of us. He cares for us. He loves us and He will never ever leave us.
So the next time you are faced with a storm, let God shine through. Let His light color your world and the world of those around you. When others see the sunshine of God’s love shining through your storms, they will be drawn to that light and want to know of the hope and promise you have within.
God kept His promise to Noah and He will keep His promise to you. Whatever storm you may be going through right now, God hasn’t forgotten you. The light of His love will break through. So when you see a rainbow, let it remind you of God’s love shining through your storm, then go and share that love with someone else. It will change the world. Remember, God never asks us to walk through storms alone, He is with us. In the midst of each storm, hang onto His promises because His promises never fail.
PARENT PRAYER:
Dear God,
I have walked through storms and I have come through them. I have experienced your love and faithfulness in so many storms. Even now, Lord, you know the storms that brew in my heart and you know the questions that rise up to cause me to wonder when the sun will break through. I am so incredibly thankful for all you have done and are doing. Mostly I am in a good place right now and yet, as I look at the world around me, the cost of living which seems to get higher and higher and the depression amongst teens, the earthquakes or hurricanes or extreme weather conditions around the world; I see how easily things can change. At any moment, I could find myself on the brink of disaster or facing a storm of enormous proportions. Yet I know and I hang onto your faithfulness. You have walked with me through every storm I have encountered in my life, big and small. You have helped me when I didn’t know what to do such as when my son was sick with appendicitis. You walked with me through the storm of my own surgery and the ups and downs I faced because of that surgery. You walked with me and my family in the loss of family members. You’ve walked with us when our cars broke down. You gave me wisdom as a parent when my children were younger and you have provided for me time and time again, sometimes even when I wasn’t very careful with my finances. God, I know you will be there for me again and for my children and grandchildren. Some people say that there is no hope, that things aren’t going to get better, that we just need to deal with what we have in this world. From a human standpoint, maybe they are right. Yet I know, I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that Jesus, the light of the world, is with me and I have incredible hope. I believe these storms too shall pass. The sun will break through and God’s rainbow of promise will again be seen on the horizon. If you give me the words, Lord, I will share this with those around me including my family. Teach me, teach my kids to hang onto hope knowing that God is creating beauty even in the midst of the biggest storms we face. Amen
RAINBOWS
You probably remember learning about rainbows in school as a child, but here are a few reminders of how rainbows are created.
- As the sun’s rays shine through the prism of a raindrop. the light is bent and it splits into many colors because light is made up of a myriad of colors. Isn’t that a beautiful reminder of how God can shine through when we are bent down by storms and bring beauty out of the storm?
- You can never get to the end of a rainbow because a rainbow is based on the orientation of the one viewing it and the sun. When you move the rainbow moves too. That a beautiful picture of God’s love for us. You can never get to the end of God’s love and light. A rainbow in the sky will eventually fade as the storm passes and the rain subsides, but God’s love will never end.
- Earth is the only planet in the solar system with rainbows. Could it be God planned it that way?
- Did you know that no two people see the exact same rainbow? According to Rainbow Symphony, “A rainbow does not have physical presence; it’s purely an optical phenomenon, and it’s appearance, its’ precise shape, arc and width of color bands will be slightly different according to the eye of the beholder…. Every rainbow is unique to you.” This too reminds me of God’s love for us. The rainbow created by God’s light shining through your storm will be unique to you. God tailor makes each rainbow according to what He wants you to see and learn.
PROMISES- Here are a few forever promises to hang onto when you find yourself in the midst of a storm.
- 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
- Joshua 21:45 “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
- Psalm 85:8 “I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—“
- Psalm 145:13 “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.”
Kid’s Section
STORY: A Rainbow & a Celebration – Genesis 9:1-17
God loved Noah and Noah loved God. – (Give self a hug.)
One day God said, “Noah, I’m sending a flood, –
(Start low gradually raising arms for flood.)
So build an Ark out of gopher wood.” – (Pretend to hammer.)
Noah did exactly what God asked him to do.
He obeyed God and God was faithful and true.
Noah and his sons worked hard for days and days. –
(Pound fists together for worked.)
Sawing and hammering and building away, – (Pretend to saw.)
Until at last that BIG Ark was finally done.
Now, how would Noah get the animals to come?
Well God brought the animals two by two, – (Show two fingers.)
Those animals just walked right onto Noah’s Ark zoo. –
(Pretend to walk animals onto Ark.)
Then Noah and his family all got on board,
And finally God shut that big Ark door, – (Clap hands for shutting the door.)
Just as the rain began to pour. – (Wiggle fingers for rain.)
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter! Would the rain ever stop? –
(Pat knees for pitter, patter.)
Water covered everything, even the mountaintops. –
(Make peaks with fingers.)
Finally the rain did stop one beautiful, sunny day, –
(Make arms into circle for sun.)
And God sent the wind to blow the water away. – (Say whoo for wind.)
They waited for a while before getting off the Ark,
But at last Noah and all were able to disembark.
God had kept them safe just as He said He would. – (Point up for God.)
God keeps His promises; He is kind and good.
Then God put a rainbow in the sky to remind us of His love,
He will never again cover the whole earth with a flood.
Do you know what Noah and his family did when they got off the Ark? They sacrificed, worshiped and celebrated God. They were thankful that God kept His promise and kept them safe during the flood. God was happy with Noah’s sacrifice. He promised Noah never to destroy the world with a flood again. God keeps His promises. He kept His promise to Noah and He keeps His promises to you too. He loves you, helps you and cares for you. Like Noah, we can celebrate and thank God too. Thank Him for His promises and that He loves and cares for you.
PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for your love. I know that you love me and that you will take care of me just like you did Noah. I know I can trust you. Thank you for rainbows and beautiful colors. Rainbows remind me that you keep your promises. I love you. Amen
KNOW: I can trust God to keep His promises, to do what He says He will do.
TALK ABOUT: Rainbows & God’s Promises
ASK: Who loves you? God loves me.
AND DO: Thank God for His promises, His help & His care.
FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK:
* Look for rainbows or make your own rainbow inside by placing a glass jar full of water on the windowsill where the sun can shine through it. Place a piece of white paper on the floor directly in front of the glass jar. Name the colors of the rainbow and think of something that you are thankful for that is the same color.
MEMORIZE: Nahum 1:7 ERV – (Hands like holding a book.)
He (God) – (Point up.)
Cares for – (Rub hand across arm.)
Those who trust – (Hands open, pull into fists.)
In Him – (Point upwards again.)
Sacrifice: Giving up something that is important or valuable to you to show love, thankfulness or worship to God.
Because this word is used at the end of the story, I wanted to give you a child friendly definition to help explain to your child what it means.
Faith Steps and More 