Unfettered Blessing

One day this week as Jack and I drove home from a shopping trip, we saw in the sky a strong rainbow that seemed to reach the earth, and a fainter second one next to it. We hadn’t had any much needed rain, and it didn’t start to rain, but the bow was there. When we reached our driveway I shouted to a passerby to “look up” as he walked by. He thanked us when he saw the rainbow.

I wondered if it would be better to have the rain than the rainbow? I thought the rainbow brought its own kind of blessing, a surprise of color and light that brought pleasure just at the sight of it. We certainly needed the rain, and it would bring some needed relief, but would I have talked to a stranger about it, and seen his eyes light up?

The rainbow brought the memory of a promise and a reassurance of God’s provision. “And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.’” (Genesis 9:12)

Is the hope and reassurance as valuable as the H20 coming onto my front and back yard and to all the parched area around? I believed at that moment that it is, that the reassurance echoed in my mind and filled me with the reminder of our God who surely knows our need for water better than I do, and can and will supply it: “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” (Psalm 54:4)

The blessing of rain could have brought anxiety for more rain, or for the danger of flooding, but the blessing of the rainbow brought joy and peace, a blessing with no strings attached, a truly unfettered blessing.

When God declared His creation “good”, He bestowed an unconditional, unfettered blessing upon all of His creation. Since earliest times some individuals have recognized and responded to this blessing: “The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly.” (Psalm 65:8)

The rain would have been a great blessing, but the bow was an unfettered reminder, just as Salvation itself comes to us unfettered, a free gift, a free blessing. It is even better than rain on a thirsty ground.

Love in Him,

Prue