God got our attention on the way to the airport the other day. We saw a beautiful double rainbow pierce the cloudy sky. We could see the entire arc of the first rainbow, and the second gently echoed the first at the base.
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I was reminded that God chose the rainbow to remind us of the covenant between Him and all life on earth (Genesis 9:17).
God chose to make and keep His covenant, and not to take out his wrath on the earth as he had done with the flood that destroyed the earth "even though every inclination of [our] heart is evil from childhood (Genesis 8:21)". The rainbow made me think how far I have to go at learning how to love like God loves. I had just come from hanging out for family that gladly showered me with hospitality, fed me till I almost inflated, and wanted my flight to be cancelled so I could stay longer. I'm not minimizing the importance of this time of restoration and investment in our family--in fact I treasure and value it immensely.
But, my family knows that I love them the same, and if they were to come to my side of the country, the situation would be reversed. Jesus' warns us that this is not a complete picture of love: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And inf you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? ....But love your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6: 35)"
Lord, help me to love like you love: completely, compassionately, without expecting anything return.
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