This image of a perfect “double rainbow” was taken on the last day of a visit to Porto, Portugal.
There may be no more iconic symbol of hope than a rainbow. There is no guarantee that just because we have endured a rainstorm, we are entitled to this spectacle in the sky. The proper mix of atmospheric conditions must be precisely aligned for its creation. It is one of those rarities that can stop us in our tracks and have us stare up to the heavens in amazement.
We may be reminded from our bible school days of the story of Noah’s Ark. Noah and his family, along with a sample of all God’s creations, took shelter on a very large, home-built boat. After 40 straight days of rains so intense that they flooded the entire earth, a rainbow finally appeared to the remnants of humanity on the earth.
Most of us have been sheltering in place with our families for about the same amount of time as Noah and his crew. By this time it is probably feeling a bit cramped in your house. Having been pent-up with your spouse, the kids, and pet labradoodle, it might feel a little chaotic.
Now put yourself in Noah’s sandals. Not only did he have to take refuge with his wife and kids, he did so with 70,000 animals on a boat the length of Paul Allen’s mega yacht. There was no Netflix to keep everyone entertained. The groceries were not delivered to the door. Someone had to cook, and more importantly, clean up after all of those critters. You think you are experiencing bedlam? Imagine what it was like trying to keep all of those animals from eating each other. Not to mention, after 40 days, you were now dealing with 10,213 additional bunnies and hamsters. No, we have it pretty good.
Yes, these are difficult days. I do not want to minimize the pain and uncertainty that so many are experiencing right now. However, every now and again we need to be reminded that there will be days ahead. No one can guarantee that these will be better days. However, we will once again have the opportunity to laugh, enjoy the company of the ones we love, and even gaze to the sky and be awed by the beauty of a rainbow.
