Reflecting on God's Rainbow

God's Rainbow over Portobello and Joppa, Edinburgh, Scotland.

This last month was filled with good things. We had several visitors from the U.S.A. as well as some wonderful family outings and days of rest. Upon attempting to finish up my two year Institute of Biblical Studies course here in Edinburgh, I contracted a strange virus that put my head spinning with a vertigo type affect. Two weeks of physical weakness and lots of head spins have kept me off the computer and made me quite spaced out.

Although I did not graduate with the other students at the IBS this term, I did manage to see an absolutely incredible SUNSET RAINBOW and the next morning see a mind blowing SUNRISE that came up over the Eastern seaboard.

OK, I did not tweek these photos. These are originals and the photos do not do justice to how intense the light really was. God's handiwork reveals His glory.

The rainbow above is over our house and was literally blasting with color and light. I have never seen any rainbow so bright in my whole life - and it arched 100% up and over me and came down miles out to see. The entire thing was lit up like a giant torch across the sky.

I was overwhelmed with God's goodness as I saw this rainbow and thought of God's words to Noah after the flood...

Genesis 9:8-17

“And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that [is] with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

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.

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: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 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.

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.

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.”

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...and the next morning!!!

At about 6:45am the next morning, there was an incredible orange glow that I could see through the skylight above our bed. I knew immediately that I had only a couple minutes as the orange glow is usually the a sure sign of an increidble East Lothian sunrise. I jumped out of bed, ran downstairs and grabbed my camera, and out the door I went. My head was fully spinning from my sickness but when I got to the seas edge I was overwhelmed with the glory of God's creation - all my sickness seemed to vanish away for several minutes.

I immediately forgot about all of life's trials and I was filled with an insexpressible joy! I was immediately taken up with what what it will be like when I see Christ in all His glory, splendour, and majesty.

East Lothian's Lammamuir hills, with their beautiful and unspoiled rolling glens were a sight to behold in the morning sunlight. The countryside and villages along the waters edge were glistening with brilliant golden brown sun beams. I was afraid I was going to burn out more pixels in my camera but I went for it anyway. I started taking as many photos as I could as I jimmied with the camera light settings. Here is what I got. Thank you LORD!

Although I was sad that my beautiful bride and most of Edinburgh missed out on seeing this one, I rejoiced that my God in heaven shared it with me.

This indeed was a gift from the LORD. It was a special time for me to reflect on His glory and goodness and take a break from work and the computer for almost two weeks.

God knows what we need and when. I feel refreshed and ready to get back to work!

Back to work we go!