During COVID, Paula and I drove into the mountains. In the afternoon, we were at Lake Junaluska as a rainbow appeared. This photo was taken with my iPhone. If you look closely, you’ll see a double rainbow.
The natural phenomenon of a rainbow was embraced by ancient cultures as a message from the realm of divinity. Of course, depending on where people lived long ago they created stories of a pot of gold in Ireland, the Greek goddesses Iris, dragons in China, etc. More recent legends emerge from imaginary places like the land of Oz and the song, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ Science teaches us that rainbows are a reflection of the visible spectrum of light which occurs when light is reflected and dispersed off of water droplets. However, even in our Judeo-Christian tradition, we have this biblical story of the rainbow.
PLEASE WEAR COLORS OF THE RAINBOW THIS COMING SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18. YES, ROYGBIV – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet, according to Isaac Newton.
Why? During the COVID pandemic, the rainbow was adopted as a symbol of hope. Households worldwide displayed homemade rainbow images to show unity. Long before any group claimed the rainbow as a symbol, the covenant story of God’s promise to Noah presented the rainbow as a symbol of salvation. On the first Sunday of Lent, we will reflect on God’s salvation and how the rainbow reminds us of God’s covenant relationship with us.
See you Sunday, you colorful people.
Worship | Sundays @ 10:30am