%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 20 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 17 0 R /GS4 18 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250915122024+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250915122024+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1698 >> stream xXێ6}Wc xn $]mm1+I|FS3콄A,K gΜ"M4vxyMEn*)5]tSI:IzK7W{i'ӌ|ZDziAe#IIb]'%aAW~\<|T7gtGëET,iM}@ϯP$xEQа6 }a`9|jZ8WW_sWB"ЊЗGE5Xz+]~0Ѳ?B|F酣֚;I$mMߛ;$jc4Yt y%UAvpoXZ)ٷ ž3zV8CVId͸AN5n|Gf+{ItdB'*X㝴 pq$L[)#!d7b ]y;v}d9JsֈvIc&@n}$?Z O#uTo-{=۲xY'u`FA$#~iԷ:P(.M˪^I%{ [Ͻ]ؠ$n FftvPV0n[u,Y(8yR)?>SNcYun%m)Fb٠Q0L51<OРb5/;2$\( U}cK.zX$t}0'AHH髀x5H1PVW{`ykƛCenN *& .ps vJ^"䎺3A kIU_OԜ9ޡm[DXɪ@9Q/GLϽ5rԦE#l\a$EŸ^071iqTs#<|aoR5ӜvC?S!\1!Tpp;_^hG38l4e49~,Nd?-kPStˈS9~#&Qv$)AL6q6):si4[P'8^Oݎb"#3ͻo^I;,Ȋ߿"G-1ha`q>~.LB% \A=X>y hJR'Ix.ϴ^X[~/8;sK Oo$dDrDbj,b"=b5e(n#;\Me8b:ь`b5!;^5DH" qn?D°"l^jŽnecʋQ){S(TX2dN qhVp=ggZGb^Y59Z"Wgm >ɉPlz'/FN> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 21 0 R >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 992 >> stream xmV]6}ϯR $d_~nZm}VSۄMmڟ3&ɍZKIf9sǔj1c"$_[/*'EҾRJ3HۗF?k:#HeI|{eڑl8&E<+j#A_N.ls W@HhҾa8>k[}Tԙ3n8;I[zgh,%2B̛U!4&9ռSEA]" Xmb*IYOA'g~`yce[u`՞U>-:1]rHclT; Ok$R⏤╖C%n&%ˆ/!w c`H6127;/-x8S嬤aS=?~fN$`>qRz5CT9c <&>p!@gXu ]M@.> Cy>6b̞;Ň#O endstream endobj xref 0 22 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000401 00000 n 0000000430 00000 n 0000000579 00000 n 0000000682 00000 n 0000002453 00000 n 0000002560 00000 n 0000002668 00000 n 0000002778 00000 n 0000002891 00000 n 0000003007 00000 n 0000003036 00000 n 0000003146 00000 n 0000003203 00000 n 0000003260 00000 n 0000003319 00000 n 0000003378 00000 n 0000003407 00000 n 0000003512 00000 n trailer << /Size 22 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[<2af3bd62167dbcf99a26d0cba9ab44ed><2af3bd62167dbcf99a26d0cba9ab44ed>] >> startxref 4577 %%EOF Sharper Focus "Renewal" | Caring Magazine
Read Caring Magazine Volume 29

Vol. #29

Hope in Action

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Sharper Focus “Renewal”

January 22, 2013
3 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

By Victor Leslie, Lt. Colonel

As we drove home following the afternoon rain storm, windshield wipers working but not fast enough, the wind had fun with our little car while we maneuvered our way on the potholed streets of Jamaica. Struggling to stay on our side of the road, I casually turned my head and looked up toward the mountainside and instantly, with an unknowing reflex action, my mouth opened wide in awe and admiration.

There, resting in the arms of the sky, rare and unlikely, unique in its beauty with colors streaming across the heavens, was not just one rainbow, but two. Two rainbows, in the sky at the same time, in the same place, double rainbows capturing our hearts and imaginations. Like synchronized swimmers, Rose-Marie and I mouthed our joy in perfect unison—it’s God’s promise of renewal and he just made it personal, one rainbow for each of us.

All of us know the Bible story of Noah’s Ark, with the rainbow as the sign of the renewal of hope and prosperity. God had said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth” (Gen. 9: 12-13).

Many generations have come and gone but rainbows are still signs of God’s daily renewal of his covenant of peace and a new future. They promise that the storm is over, the rain has stopped, and that a new beginning is possible.

We humans need signs of renewal in this disaster-filled world where earthquakes rumble and hurricanes roar, where sadistic maniacs end children’s dreams, and where human indifference and sinful behaviors condemn us to live with tragedy. We need something that will lift our eyes, stir our spirits and renew our faith as we deal with the things that cloud our lives. And sure enough, in the clouds, we find it, in the vision of the rainbow. The message of renewal is that after the darkness will come the light; that after the most dreaded moments will come the possibilities of hope; that after the days of torment will come the time of joy—proof of God’s renewal of his covenant with us.

The rainbow promises that there are better things ahead than what we have left behind. The rainbow promises a new phase with the expectation that life moves forward after the fog and pouring rain. As we begin a new year, as we seek to renew our purpose and passion for living and to hold close what is most precious to our existence, what better time to look for the rainbow? We will see it—in the heavens as a remembrance and reminder that it is not what has happened, but what is about to happen that will move us forward.

On that wet afternoon in the midst of the storm, the double rainbows served as beautiful tokens to help move us forward. They were signs of grace—of a God of love who cares for each of us and who helps us start over when all seems lost. It was as if he were saying to each of us: “When catastrophe overtakes you like a storm, when tragedy sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you, look up. Don’t worry about a thing! See, I am renewing my promise. I’m here. And I am still at work.”

And as if to prove it, as we drove into our yard at home we looked up again and our double rainbows had followed us home—personal reminders of God’s renewal of his commitment that the future is still bright.

 

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like