Tuesday, April 25, 2006

the promise

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.
- Genesis 9:13-15 (NIV)


i saw a rainbow today.

no, not a pathetic one like the one that appeared above the heads of the sem1s as they were subjected to showers of goodness-knows-what courtesy of the seniors on the upper floors of imu. i mean, that little rainbow was fabulous because it lifted everyone's spirits for a while and i could tell that the little aerial splash of colour relished the attention it received because it hung around long enough for eager cameras to immortalise it in their memory cards. but it had no "oomph".

the rainbow i saw today was a huge, majestic arch that seemed to stretch from the hill opposite imu all the way till cheras. the best thing was that the sky was filled with dark clouds threatening to unleash a fury and the seven colours, the first seven colours we learn in school, showed up ever so clearly against the gloomy background.

it was breathtaking, and i felt like a child seeing a real rainbow for the very first time.

i found it pretty ironic that i didn't have my camera with me today to capture that glorious sight. multiple cameras were there during icebreakers and i'm sure i'm not the only one to have a picture of that small, pathetic rainbow stored in the remote corners of my hard drive.

i'm just more and more convinced that truly awesome beauty is not meant to be captured in a picture so that you will eventually take it for granted. it's meant to be an image you see in your dreams at night, or a feeling you get when you read a good bit of poetry. it's a memory to make you smile when you're feeling less than thrilled about life...and that's what makes it all the more beautiful.

i needed that rainbow so so badly. when i don't have space to take a deep breath and not much time to spare for a laugh with my friends, it is a relief to have the vision of that magnificent display of God's artistic abilities in my mind...just so that i am reminded that there is still beauty, that i'm not running around like a rabid dog for nothing, that God's promises hold true.

although i know He was referring more to never flooding the earth again, but i just felt that the covenant He spoke of encompasses all of His promises: promise of love, the promise of faithfulness, the promise of rewards, the promise of salvation.

the flood's over. now's the time to prosper. the rainbow promises that.

lishun at 11:41 PM

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