The Rainbow

This blog is named 'The Rainbow of Promise' for many reasons. This account of God's glorious presence and faithful promise is one of it.

I graduated and started working in June 2007 as a junior executive in a Public Relations agency. It's a tough job, very stressful and highly demanding for a fresh-grad like me. I'm still in this job as I'm writing this, not because of anything else but God's grace.

The first three months of the job was really challenging as I tried to adapt to the new phase of life. It was not encouraging when I saw some of my colleagues leaving for various reasons. One particular colleague who was close to me said that she was going to resign because she found the job unsuitable for her. I was very sad when I heard this, because she was like a partner in the job.

At that point, I too, began to ask myself whether this job was really suitable for me. I knew I had asked God to bless me with a good job and a good future, but was this really it? Is this where I really want to be? Is this the dream that I am pursuing? If not, what is my passion and how to I get there from where I am now? There were a lot of questions and uncertainty in me.

But it was at this time that the Lord have spoke this verse to me: Jeremiah 29:11–14a “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord…”

And He also said to me, “Stick onto Me, I will bless you.”

At first, I could not understand much of it. I have always known that the Lord is interested in my life and will bless me with a good future. And I was already sticking to the Lord – I was drawing myself close to him in prayer and worship. So I asked the Lord, “God, I will stick to You. My future is in Your hands. But Lord, will You please let me know if this is where You want me to be? And if Your answer is yes, will you please show me a sign? Could I please see a rainbow in the sky?”

It has always been in my understanding that rainbow symbolises God's promise. In the Bible, God showed Noah a rainbow after the 40 days and 40 nights of the great flood, as a sign of covenant between Himself and the earth that there will never be such a flood ever again. "The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." (Gen 9:16)

However, rainbows are rarely seen on KL skies, being quite a polluted city. I knew that I have asked something that was definitely going to be God's miracle working.

A few days after this prayer, my colleague gave the resignation letter, and I felt very helpless and despair again. I broke down in tears, but it was in tears that I found assurance from the Lord again. The Lord impressed deeply upon my heart that if I would just stick onto Him, He will surely bless me. I purposed in my heart that day to choose the more difficult choice of staying on in the company, even though I would be the only junior left.

On that day, when I was on my way home after work, it was drizzling on my side of the city, but I saw that there was sunshine on the other side of the city. The Lord quickened my mind, and as I turned to look behind me, behold, there was the huge beautiful rainbow in the shape of an arch, clear and displaying its splendour against the grey sky! Silently, I thanked the Lord in my heart as I stared in awe (and in tears) of His wonderful creation.

Although from that point onwards I still faced a lot of challenges and difficult times at work, the Lord also added strength to endure and to embrace along with the promise of rainbow. I understood that He was training and equipping me for greater things to come.

Truly, the promises of God are faithful, He will never leave us nor forsake us, but He will surely bless us if we would just stick onto to Him. As I held on to God’s promises, things took a positive turn and became better. I experienced His joy and peace as He took over my concerns.

Lord, I will always remember this promise -- Your rainbow of promise.