Morning Thoughts Dressed in Rainbow Hues

Morning Thoughts Dressed in Rainbow Hues
by Marilyn Mackenzie



Last evening, the most beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky, after a gentle summer rain. Its colors were crisp and distinct. I had never seen such a wonderful rainbow in all of my life!

I have seen many rainbows in my 52 years. Most have been partial rainbows, missing some colors. Or they’ve been just a fine mist with a hint of color. Last night’s rainbow was complete, clear down to a deep purple band. It was the kind of rainbow a child paints, with distinct and bright colors. Never had I seen such an awesome sight! (Except posted on the refrigerator of a home with a child artist...)

This morning, I sat outside watching the sun rise and the birds and squirrels come to life. I regretted not trying to snap a photograph of that beautiful rainbow. I wished I was a talented artist who could duplicate what I had seen.

I smiled, then, realizing that mere children can paint rainbows just as beautiful and just as simple as the one I had seen in the sky.

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My thoughts turned to God, of course, and His promises. The rainbow represents God’s promise to never again flood the entire earth. Curious creature that I am, I wondered if mankind somehow caused the entire earth to flood if God would intervene.

That rainbow kept appearing in my thoughts. Between thinking of that rainbow, and watching God’s creatures romp in front of me, I wondered how an individual could possibly question the existence of a Creator.

Yes, I know there are scientific explanations for rainbows. If explained just right and simply, I even understand the process. To me, that just reinforces the existence of my awesome God. He created this world and all that’s in it. I’m convinced each time I see a rainbow or a sunrise or fluffy clouds in the sky. Science just reinforces my belief. God created order out of chaos. And we cannot do the same.

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My thoughts drifted to a time a few years ago, when I had the opportunity to talk with a child about my belief in God. It was a morning much like this one. I sat watching the sunrise and the birds and squirrels. And I was reading my Bible and writing in my journal.

A ten-year-old neighbor girl wandered by. I wondered what she was doing up so early in the day. She explained that school was out and this was her first day of summer freedom and she wanted to enjoy each and every minute of it.

Angie climbed the steps to my apartment porch and sat down to talk with me. She asked why I read the Bible each morning, and why I was so convinced that God had created this world. She told me of some of the lessons she’d had in school about evolution and the “big bang” theory. I explained that when I looked at the dew on a rose petal, I couldn’t fathom that happening by chance. I told her I couldn’t believe that our miraculous bodies had “evolved” by chance or that a bunch of matter suddenly went “bang” and became the earth - without the loving Hands of a Creator God.

We changed the subject, then, and discovered we each had a sweet tooth. I suggested that we bake a cake. I didn’t have any cake mixes, so I explained that we’d have to make our cake from scratch. Angie read the ingredients from my cookbook as I measured them and put them on the counter.

Angie looked at me curiously as we left the kitchen and went back outside to watch the rest of the neighborhood start to come to life. Finally, she couldn’t keep her curiosity at bay any more and asked about the cake we were supposed to be baking.

We went back inside and I looked at the ingredients lying on the counter.

“Hmmm,” I said. “It doesn’t look like a cake yet. Guess we should give it more time.”

Angie giggled. “I get it. You’re saying that just having those ingredients all measured out doesn’t make a cake. Someone has to mix and stir and bake the ingredients to get a cake we can eat.”

I smiled and gave her a quick hug. We mixed the ingredients and placed them in the oven to bake. Soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of a chocolate cake baking.

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My thoughts came back to the present. The world around me was waking. People drove by on their way to work. The birds and squirrels weren’t as much in evidence as they had been earlier.

Still, around me were trees and grass and flowers. And my mind remembered the rainbow from the night before. How can anyone really believe that chance made these things?



The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and the earth is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1