The Science and Holiness of Rainbows

A Reflection on the First Reading for February 21st, 2021:
​First Sunday of Lent

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Genesis
9.8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
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Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

The First Reading for this Sunday recounts the covenant between God and humanity following the Great Flood: “I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant … When … the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant …”


The star of this story is the rainbow. Christians who hear the story picture a beautiful rainbow — and vice versa, Christians who see a rainbow remember the flood and God’s promise. Today, though, I want to go deeper into rainbows because — here’s the thing — I’ve been around enough to know that God never passes on the opportunity to plant powerful symbolism in His creations. We just need to look for it. So, I present to you: What I’ve Learned about Rainbows.


Light contains all colours.
Sunlight may look white, but it actually includes every colour visible to the human eye. When white light from the sun passes through the air and enters a raindrop, it is entering a denser medium. This causes the light to slow, bend and separate into its component colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. 


These colours then bounce off the back of the raindrop (like reflections in a tiny mirror), exit the raindrop and hit our eyes in the form of two beautiful rainbows. Yes, even though it is usually faint, there is always a second rainbow hanging above the first. Lord, You pile blessing upon blessing for us; may we share Your blessings with others.


No two people see the exact same rainbow.
A person next to you is standing in a slightly different spot and sees the rainbow differently because they see different raindrops. Lord, Your promise speaks to my unique heart. You see me.


We don't see the full circle because the earth gets in the way. 
Although we normally see a rainbow as an arc, in truth every rainbow is a circle. Because we view it from the ground, we can see only half of it. Lord, is the ground on which I’m standing getting in the way? Change my perspective, that I may see Your promise as a circle, eternal and unending.


The best time to see the rainbow is after the storm.
What is the ideal time to see a rainbow? Not during the rainstorm, because clouds block most of the light. Not long after a rainstorm, because the water vapour in the air has evaporated. The best time to see a rainbow is just after the storm has ended, and the thicker the cloud the brighter the rainbow. Lord, so that I may see the rainbow, give me strength to endure the storm. The greater my suffering, the more visible is Your promise of peace and hope.


You will never see a rainbow when you’re facing the sun.
Rainbows always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. It is when the sunlight beams behind you, that you see the rainbow. Lord, when I turn away from the Light, You bless me with a vision of Your promise wherever I am looking.


Lord, all creation is a blessing. Let us see You in everything You have made.




Donna Davis

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