Genesis 9

“I set my rainbow in the cloud. And it shall be a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud” Genesis 9:13-14.

About one year ago a devastating hurricane hit the city of New Orleans. This hurricane was spoken about throughout the entire nation. People were blaming the President for not being responsive, the flood gates for not working, and some even blamed God. The truth is, God knew exactly what happened, but no one ever stopped to consider the moral state of the city around them. If we got what we truly deserved there would be a lot less cities in this world. The flood leveled the entire city. The pictures are incredible.

Now imagine the entire world being flooded. Nothing is left. The only thing that remains is Noah and his family. They walk off the boat and all they can see is devastation from the result of this great flood. Could this have truly been God’s will? Well, we are told in the last chapter that Noah built an alter and gave an offering. Noah truly was a tremendous man of faith. How comforting was the next thing that happened. God confirmed His promise. Notice how many times God gives this promise to Noah. He wants Noah to know that He cares for him and that He Himself controls all.

God then sets up the rainbow, a beautiful visual to remind us that God will never flood the earth again. Look at what the verse above tells us. God brings every cloud over the earth. Have you ever sat on the grass and watched the clouds float by. Then your imagination takes over and you start to make out different objects out of these clouds. “Look, there is a goldfish, turtle, duck!” Now imagine being the one forming them. I wonder if God looks down from above and says, “Look what I did, a fish, turtle, and a duck.” Now if God brings every cloud that floats by the earth, just imagine how He is orchestrating our lives.

Is there a flood you are going through? God is in control! Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship. The Greek word for workmanship is “Poiema” in which we get our word Poem. We are God’s poem. If for some reason you are going through something and it does not make sense, just look at the rainbow and remember God’s promises. Dear friend, He is not slow in keeping His promises. God has made your life a perfect poem where everything fits if we just follow Him. If you read just one line from a poem it is like being stuck in the fog. You are lost in the middle of everything. However, if you read the whole poem all of a sudden you have a complete picture. God brings the clouds and makes them look like cool objects. Wonder what He is doing to my life!