[dropcap]My[/dropcap] three year old daughter’s favorite bible story is Noah and the ark. I’d like to say she’s a spiritual guru, but I’m fairly certain she just loves it because of all the animals. And all the water. The huge boat is also a perk. I mean, seriously…what kid wouldn’t be drawn to the awesome-ness of it all? As an adult, I’m even a teensy bit curious as to how in the world all of those animals fit onto ONE boat. Under the command of ONE man. For 40 days. And 40 nights.
I must admit, it’s one of my favorite stories in the bible, too.
But for very different reasons.
You see, the story of Noah is not only a story about a cool dude with a long white beard who counts the animals, two by two, as they load the ark. It’s a story about a man who trusts God, even when things don’t make sense. It’s a story about a family who clings to hope, even when they are in the middle of a storm. And most of all, it’s a story about a God who makes promises. And keeps them.
If you haven’t read the story of Noah, you should. He and his family endure over 40 days and nights on an ark with lots and lots of animals. It rains. And it rains. And then it rains some more. They are stuck. They are uncomfortable. They are weary. But they trust. And eventually, the land dries up. The boat rests, their souls rest…and they see the promise behind the storm. Something that will change them forever.
A rainbow.
A sign of God’s promise, of His goodness. A beautiful reminder that they were never alone. There is HOPE on the other side of the storm. There is LIFE.
Noah’s rainbow came in the form of a promise, that the Lord would never flood the earth again. But our rainbows come in all different shapes and sizes. Some come in the form of a new job, a new relationship, or a new home.
And some come in the form of a baby.
This is a story about a rainbow baby. A baby that brought hope after the storm. A baby that brought joy where deep sorrow had existed before. A baby that fulfilled a promise. An eternal promise.
This is the story of Jude Phillip Westlake.
Lift your eyes. The storm has ended. The rainbow has come.
