Light and Rainbows
This picture is of the lighthouse just a few metres from my home. The rainbow is real. I just want to remind everyone that the lighthouse shines out in the darkness and lights the way for ships to be safe on their journey. Jesus is our light and he has given us his light so that we can shine in the darkness too and help others on their journey. The rainbow can only be seen during the day, and it is a sign of the promise from God that the earth would not be flooded again. To me it is a sign that I don’t need to allow the world to flood my thoughts with its negativity, its lies and its hatred. The rainbow reminds me to flood my life with the goodness of God, with his Word and with his love. Just as we can see a the rainbow the world needs to see our love and our light. Our light will help those heading for disaster to come to Jesus and let him help them, heal them and given them new life. We have not been given this light to hide it for our own personal use - it is for sharing. If we believe in Jesus we carry the light with us. How do we do this? Through being born again.
Jesus said in JOHN 9 : 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. This was not only for when he was alive, walking on the earth. You see it also says in PHILIPPIANS 2 : 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Jesus also said in MATTHEW 5 : 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. So we, who are born again, baptised in the spirit of God also carry the light of the world in us. It is not the light of this world but the light of the Kingdom of God which shines into this world showing the way to Jesus. This light comes from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Have you ever heard the word Trinity? Maybe you have heard of the 3 in 1 God? Father God, Son of God, Spirit of God. (Father, Son and Holy Spirit/Ghost). You see when we carry the light is the the light created by Jesus from the very beginning of creation. See JOHN 1 : 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John the Baptist came before Jesus and bore witness that Jesus was the Light - the true Light who lights everyone who comes to the world. That is a bold statement - here is the New Living Translation to help you understand this scripture passage: In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.
9 The one who is the true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
I have questions for you -
Where is your light?
Do you know that you are the light?
Where is it shining?
What does it highlight?
Are you shining it into the darkness to show the way to Jesus?
Are you hiding it?
When it comes to the rainbow, the world has hijacked the rainbow image to portray their own nefarious desires. Never forget that the rainbow was the promise made by God to Noah that was a sign of his covenant with him that the world would no more be flooded. I understand how scientists tell us about how rainbows are formed : A rainbow is caused by sunlight and atmospheric conditions. Light enters a water droplet, slowing down and bending as it goes from air to denser water. The light reflects off the inside of the droplet, separating into its component wavelengths--or colours. When light exits the droplet, it makes a rainbow. This is all very interesting but, the very first rainbow tells us that this was the first time it had rained. Here is what God says about his rainbow: GENESIS 9 : 11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. Until the flood all water came from inside the earth - there was no rain. Can you imagine living when there was no rain? Springs of water came out of the earth is a picture of the Springs of living water that pour out of us that come from the eternal Spring of life from heaven. Are you seeing how perfect the world should have been all along. There was no need for rain as everything was nourished from inside the earth. We are are nourished from inside of us too, because God’s Holy Spirit nourishes us from within and brings us life. So the rain first fell when the flood happened. It is almost as though God cried tears over the world (I know that sounds poetic, but he was destroying his creation - how do you think he felt about that?). When we were baptised in the Holy Spirit, God put inside of us all of his living water so that we could share it, not hoard it or drown in it. Live your life colourfully and with joy because of the promise of God. Every time you see a rainbow remember the spring of living water inside of you. Let it bubble up so that you are full of his peace, joy, compassion and love. Don’t just think of the scientific explanation of how it is formed. Admire its beauty, remember its promise and let the Living Water bubble up inside of you so that it overflows from your heart. A rainbow is a beautiful gift from God and should remind you that God keeps his promises for ever. It first appeared after the flood and still appears today. Think about it.
I just thought I would share my thoughts about light and rainbows.
Until next time, God bless and keep you xxx.
