Waterfalls & Rainbows

Posted by Karen on Sep 16, 2011 | 2 comments

I just returned from a whirlwind ministry trip to Buffalo and Toronto, enjoying an unexpected stop at Niagara Falls. The roar of the falls is deafening, and the great cloud of mist rising from its continual pounding provides a perfect canvas for rainbows to appear.

A rainbow does not actually exist at a particular location in the sky. Its apparent position depends on the observer’s location and the position of the Sun. The position of a rainbow in the sky is always 40-42° from the direction opposite the Sun with respect to the observer.

I mention the precise angle of 42° because it is in Psalm 42 where we read: “Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and breakers have swept over me.” (NIV)  In this passage the psalmist describes his troubles crashing over him like one wave after another, overwhelming him as if by a flood. Yet the very next verse reads: “May the Lord show His constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life.” (GNT)

Isn’t this how it is with rainbows? Not in spite of the pounding, but because of the pounding we are able to see the promise of God!