June 12, 2026:

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“‘Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.’ So God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I have established between Me and all life on the earth.’” (Genesis 9.16-17)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

I remember asking my grandmother for a recipe and she told me to get a pen and paper. I did and sat down at the breakfast table as she began telling me the recipe. I wrote it down carefully from ingredients to instructions. I was all excited to make this dish for everyone at the next family dinner. I volunteered it so my grandmother would have one less thing to do. When we all sat down and blessed the food, the eating began. As usual everyone was talking and grabbing food and passing this and that to one another. I waited quietly to see what everyone would say about what I had fixed. Not a word. Not a word during or after the meal was spoken to me but my grandmother was praised for another great meal. It was a family meal success. I started to say something when my grandmother put her hand on my hand at the table. She shook her head side to side as if to say “not now.” When I took dishes into the kitchen to clean up after dinner, one by one members of the family came by and told me “It was good; not quite like your grandmother’s, but good.” I said thank you each time, but in the back of my mind I was asking “Why now and not at the table?” Before long, my grandmother brought my bowl to the sink. It was empty. There was nothing left. She smiled and a tear came to my eye. She said, “It was very good, not quite as good as mine, mind you, but good nonetheless. I couldn’t let it go to waste. I ate the last of it. I am so proud of you.” She hugged me and the silence was nearly deafening. Her praise was really important and I wanted to do her proud. That is when it hit me. I really wanted to make grandma proud. I wanted the praise for doing a good job. Which was more important to me? It was then I realized that what was most important was making grandma proud. That is why everyone thanked grandma for such a good meal. It was her meal after all. We all looked forward to sharing it because it was hers. It wasn’t mine. It was hers. We thanked and praised her for the meal as well we should. It wouldn’t be the same without her. It was the last time we would share that meal.

As we finished cleaning up, everyone gathered to watch television, play cards or take that much needed nap from eating too much. I decided then to ask my grandmother, “Why was my dish different than yours? I followed your instructions word for word.” She laughed and said, “Well, to be honest, I didn’t tell you everything. I left something out. It is a little thing, nothing major.” I cocked my head and looked at her. Did I feel a bit betrayed? She smiled and put her soft hand worn smooth by years of caring for us all to my face. “It’s okay. It’s something you can’t put in words.” Now I was really confused. “What do you mean?” I asked. “It just comes with time, Chuck. It comes with living with the recipe and making it your own. You see, I put a little of myself in every dish. It is flavored to what I think it should taste like. You have to learn what to do for that “taste right” taste, too.” Everyone knew no one could make it or any of the food just like grandma. We tried. We got close. We all missed. It was that “just one” ingredient that made it “grandma’s” and that is what made it best.

I remembered this story as I reflected on the sign of the rainbow which God claimed as the evidence of His promise to redeem from the darkness the element of light. That light which stays in the world is His light. He saw it in all His children. It reminded Him that no one could do it quite like He did no matter how much and how hard they may try. I look at that sign of the rainbow. We love to see rainbows. We especially love double rainbows. I have seen a rainbow from end to end in the Shoshoni Valley in Wyoming descending out of Yellowstone on our way to Cheyenne. I saw the making of a triple rainbow, but the angle of the sun just couldn’t hold itself long enough. I have seen rainbows in the water from a hose in the summer as we sprayed each other down in the front yard trying to cool off. We have seen them on the walls reflected through some form of prism. They fascinate us: ROY G BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.) However, in the current culture and climate, we have seen a differing application of “the rainbow” as it is applied to either a “rainbow coalition” or the issue of support for the LBGTQ+ community. Let’s be honest- their rainbow is missing a key ingredient. It is missing intentionally because it will not attempt to cross the Judeo-Christian theology of God’s promise with the literal and figurative sign of a rainbow (theirs is only six colors and the true rainbow with seven.) As I remember the words of my grandmother and apply them here, the “missing” ingredient is indigo. Any number of reasons are proposed (be reminded that the original flag was eight colors but reduced to six for “production” reasons.) I believe the main point for me, in reflection, is that theirs is not a true rainbow and thus does not represent a promise but only an identity. I dare say, we are reducing the flags of most nations, state, communities and organizations to the same diatribe. We have forgotten the meaning and the promise and simply want to have an identity which can change with interpretation at will depending on who is in charge at the moment. God’s “rainbow” promise does not change. It isn’t about an identity. It isn’t just for the Jews or the Christians. God’s promise is for the world to hear about His sovereign justice and His overarching love. It is set as a promise to Noah and his succeeding generations, by blood and by faith, from God to not regret ever having created humans. His desire to save them from evil in an external manner is far different than transforming them internally by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Remember, mighty ones of God, the Spirit is in us (from God) and also upon us (with God.) It has the power of change at God’s command but is limited by our desire to be changed and transformed into new creatures and creations. The promise of the rainbow to Noah and to us is a covenant of commitment on God’s part to always effect that change. He makes it visible in another sign which is the cross of Christ. It, too, spreads from east to west and north to south but it never changes.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.