Everywhere Under The Rainbow We Can Fly

As I was driving on a familiar road recently, I was reminded of an incident that had happened along that road several years ago. The evening had been the end of a warming spring day and my husband and I were in the car driving to someones's house. On the west side of the car, the sky suddenly turned pea-green, nasty and windy. It was truly ominous looking! It was very strange because as I turned and looked out of the passenger side of the car a huge rainbow sprawled over a blue sky! I watched the rainbow all the way to our destination and it was a great lesson for me on where to put my focus.

In Philippians 4:6-8 is a great gem on dealing with pressure:

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

In analyzing what we think about, it is not about what we should not think about, rather it is about what we should focus on. I know that sounds confusing but Genesis 39 is a good example of Joseph's mindset that enabled him to successfully take advantage of God's help when he faced situations that endeavored to take him down.

When Joseph got to Egypt he was sold to the captain of the guard.  God was with him and he prospered and even brought  prosperity to his owner. It was not a lovely situation to have been sold into slavery by your brothers, but he forged ahead regardless. I'm sure that pressure was always around, he dealt with it by not letting it stop him from moving ahead. Even when more pressure presented itself in a situation from the deceptive captain's wife, he went forward despite being thrown in prison unjustly. From there he ended up getting the Pharaoh's attention, and rose to the top assisting Pharoah as his right hand man. God prosper him and now even the whole country of Egypt benefited from the grace of God. Pharaoh is recorded to have said:

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is? Genesis 41:38

In this world there is the good and evil; there's right and there's wrong. Joseph did some amazing things. The ups and downs are very visible in Chapter 39. Several times in the chapter we can read about God prospering Joseph. We have the advantage of being able to read later outcomes which are amazing, but Joseph did the 'one day at a time' thing.

Rainbows are beautiful. They are made when light passes through a medium such as a prism or even a small drop of water! The medium slows light's speed so that it breaks up into various colors and hues. Guess who designed the rainbow!? Pretty good huh? Remember Genesis 9:14? They are much prettier than storms. It is a great reminder of a 'God so loving that he gave'.

16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:14