Rainbows and Promises
After many aggravating attempts to meet her deadline the irritated redhead was once again distracted, this time by the ding of her cellphone. Grumbles gave way to laughter as the smiling redhead stared at the image of inspiration slowing her racing mind. The young yellow haired granddaughter of the older redhead had drawn in chunky chalk a most colorful rainbow on the dull cement walkway.
The contrast between the rainbows’ cheery colors chalked onto the gloomy gray walkway gently reminded the calming redhead to vividly recall the week’s earlier rainbow experience.
It was a typical small-town evening. Earlier predictions by the local weatherman forecasting possibilities of heavy evening thunderstorms had slowly given way to the full-blown heavy storm assaulting the tight knit community. Thunder boomed and bright streaks of lightning lit up the dark skies. Praying quietly for the storm to be over by the time her work night ended, the fascinated redhead watched nervously as gusts of wind whipped the driving rain sideways.
Grateful the storm was over and excited to end the workday, the tired redhead pushed open the weighted glass doors and walked into the wet parking lot. Instantly the exhausted red head was met with heavy yellow clouds completely hiding the mountains from view as they cast an eerie ombre light. Thunder began to roll in the distance as the unnerved redhead rapidly walked to her black car in hopes of making it to the refuge of home before the next round of storms began to rage.
Zooming onto her exit the, westbound now eastbound, redhead was awed by a welcoming new view. The dark, sinister clouds of yellow hadbeen stripped from the skies as not one but two fluorescent arcs of light erupted brilliantly from the instantly visible and illuminated mountain top.
Soothed by the sight of the vibrant double rainbows exploding from the mountaintop the calming redhead’s mind no longer raced. Thoughts of God’s promise never again to destroy the earth by water but with fire had the redhead’s thoughts churning even as she pulled slowly into her drenched driveway.
Mesmerized now by dazzling clouds, the captivated redhead stood gazing up at the brilliant clouds shining in only the brightest hues of oranges, pinks, reds, and yellows. The radiance of the clouds glow gave the illusion of a sky on fire.
Soothingly from the heart of the peaceful redhead came favorite verse clearly into her mind’s view.
The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the
clouds are the dust of His feet.
Nahum 1:3b
Thoughts of Jesus coming on the clouds for His attention deficit daughter had the watching redhead scanning the skies for Jesus immediate appearance. Conviction promptly replaced disappointment after the expectant redhead realized today was not the long awaited day Jesus would return.
The head in the clouds redhead wants to ask you a few simple questions. If you died or if Jesus returned right now, would you be caught up in the clouds to meet Him? Every one of us knows people who don’t know Jesus as their Savior and many of those people are the people we love the most. When was the last time you not only prayed for the souls of the lost but also obeyed any or all of the instructions given to you by the Holy Spirit regardless of discomfort or cost? Final questions of the inquisitive redhead, exactly how are you redeeming the time for the Lord? Have you prayed and obeyed about how to redeem the time with and for the Lord?
Today’s simple questions are void of simple answers. The next time you find yourself staring at the skies may the clouds encourage you not to give up but to keep watching because one day soon Jesus will be returning on the clouds.
Sarah Burnette 7-16-22