WHEN YOU SEE THE RAINBOW

Mary was a beautiful, kind-hearted, and intelligent little girl. She was raised by God-fearing missionary parents on the east coast of Africa always green and luscious, abundant in animal life. A glimpse of paradise, at least a fragment of what it might have been. One cannot help but naturally imagine that Eden's location could have been here and not between the two great rivers in the Middle East. Here around the Equator rain is frequent, intense but short and then the sun appears again, smiling gently on the tranquil grassy fields.  The nature of survival takes its course. Blood-thirsty frenzies break out at sundown when the defenseless becomes the pray of the swift and fierce, then the morning comes and tranquility returns.

Mary often watched the sunsets and the dawns. She loved especially the rainbows which appeared quite frequently with extremely vibrant colors. 'Even the word "vibrant" suggests a movement, therefore life' - she meditated. 'And if life, then colors of the rainbow is a living thing just as plants in other forms. Oxygen is life and it is found in water and water is the most basic life-support for all creators. Light too' - she carried on with her spinning thoughts.  

'Light is so important... to keep us cheerful... giving man the ability to see... and enjoy the sight... and to be thankful for - that's right'.  Mary sat on the hill, under the shade of the favorite tree and watched the endless savannas while educating herself with new discoveries. 

Her teenage, turbulent years arrived and slowly the natural forced itself upon the list of her priorities.  The spiritual excitements were still strong down deep inside, but her body was now awakened to a different reality of which she had known nothing about. Now with an increased interest she watched the animals, how each travelled the field in pairs with their offspring huddling close by.  "How they need each other!" - she exclaimed. Inside a warm feeling permeated her body with the same longing, to be a pair as well.

Mary was quickly developing, emerging like a beautiful butterfly out of its cocoon. Every curve of her body telegrammed new messages with increased urgencies on the inside and also out to the male world.  The boys in the village often, sons of other missionary co-workers, blushed as they gazed at Mary. So did Mary. Both sides telegrammed secret messages that nature's time had arrived just as the hot rays of the springtime sun started to melt the ice of the long winter. New reality had arrived.  

Mary's parents were so busy with the Lord's work that they did not notice that their baby girl had become a woman. This message finally reached them when Mary, for the first time, threw a fit accusing them of hypocrisy, deadness, insecurity and scores of other things unheard of before in the mouth of this sweet, little, kind-hearted girl. The parents were confused and stunned for a moment. While still at the dinner table Mary dropped utensils and angrily left the room.  The father commenced to follow her to her bedroom but his wife took hold of his arm and motioned him to remain in his seat.

That night sleep eluded Mary's parents.  A new season had arrived requiring re-programming.

In subdued voice John asked his wife, "What is going on, Evelyn?” Evelyn's motherly instinct informed her of Mary's changes. Almost three quarters of the night were spent in coordination of their responses to this sudden new reality.

The next morning at the breakfast table.  Mary approached and said, "Daddy, Mommy, I am sorry for last night."  

"It is okay, child!" - John quickly responded, but was suddenly interrupted. 

"I am not a child anymore!" - Exclaimed Mary making her dramatic point.  

"You are our child," the mother broke her silence and the father quickly added, "It is obvious that you are not a child anymore, needless to say, Mary."
"And do not think that we do not understand. Your messages are loud and clear. Please sit down and have a breakfast with us." Mary responded obediently.

The head of the family continued, "I think that as a missionary family we should pray now and ask for guidance."

A few years passed and Mary fell in love. Her parents were beaming with delight. Their future son-in-law was a good man and from a well respected family.  

The couple was married and became a pair, hoping for an offspring.  

Years passed but Mary was not able to conceive. Her parents were advancing in years and longed to see their grandchildren. All sought to hide their frustrations and disappointments.  The elderly Smiths kept covering their children with prayers. Mary and Clark, often kneeling, asked the Almighty for children. Seasons changed and the migrating herds roamed the prairies in search of new pastures, but Mary and Clark experienced no change.  

The breaks between the seasons are not as obvious as in other parts of the world. When the inner clocks of the migrating herds send a message to move on, and out, the remaining ones including the humans begin to adjust to the changing realities.  

Mary and Clark also slowly adjusted to this new reality of childlessness. 'God's will be done', was their resolve.  

Then all of a sudden Mary got pregnant!  Joy filled their hearts. Mary's husband Clark, himself a doctor, often listened through the stethoscope to the tiny beats of their baby's heart. Nine months were completed and Mary was about to give birth.  

It was spring and rains were frequent. At midday Mary was already in intense labor, but the baby's passage was obstructed and a caesarean section had to be performed. As the baby's cry filled the room outside the window a multiple rings of the rainbow appeared and Mary just caught a glimpse of it and smiled - new life. They named their daughter Grace. But Mary's ordeal was not yet over.  The doctors urged another operation upon discovering large clusters of cancerous tumors in her uterus. The baby was placed in an incubator while Mary was slowly returning to her normal strength.

The baby was born with respiratory problems and the only way to keep it alive was in the incubator.  It was extremely hard for Mary and Clark. It was like a sledge hammer which had fallen on the already battered anvil. But can the anvil withstand the pressure? At times it seemed that Mary was hand-picked for the heaviest ordeal a woman can bear.  

A hysterectomy was performed. Mary's hopes for an enlarged family were shattered. Now the battle over the only one child begun.

Weeks passed and there was no sign of any improvement. Grace, still in the incubator, gasping for breath and growing very slowly. Doctors began to give up hope increasingly voicing their fears to Mary. But Mary could not even allow the faintest thought of those fears. She had seen the rainbow, the covenant was made.

"My baby will live!  My baby will live!  My baby will live!" She kept on raising her voice until streams of assurance would flood her soul. And then she would continue her endless confessions of faith, waiting for a sign of victory.  

Now month, not weeks, had passed and Mary kept her vigil. She fell asleep exhausted and in her dream she heard a voice like a thunder crossing the endless skies, yet she could distinctly understand its contents.  

"I am the life!..."  And then another thunder. "I am the life!  I am the life! I am the life!” While the sound filled the atmosphere exquisite colors appeared as they were painting a message on the canvas of the brightest blue sky, she had ever seen. "I am the life!!!" The third time it thundered and again the voice was carried by the rays of colors. That is when Mary awoke.  

It was late morning. It rained heavily and dark clouds obscured the daily light. Mary looked inside the incubator. The baby seemed to wiggle with increased energy. Mary's eyes were so used to the other sight that the slightest change was noticed at once.  She excitedly ran out of the room and called the doctor in charge. As they entered the room, the dark clouds suddenly gave way to the ever-prevailing sun's rays and a rainbow of the most beautiful magnitude stepped into the room and it seemed that its bottom end rested above the incubator. Mary and the doctor paused, mesmerized by the sight.  They looked inside, beholding Grace who lay on her back with arms opened up while her little chest moved with a normal regularity. The doctor checked the pulse and listened to the lungs functions through the stethoscope.  

"It is normal!" - He exclaimed with excitement.  

"Really normal!" - The doctor assured Mary.  

"O, thank you dearest Lord!!!”  Mary cried, smearing her healthy baby girl with tears of joy.

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An intimate relationship with the Father is the goal, but the fruit of that relationship is a new walk. Enoch walked with God and the fruit was beyond the scope of anyone's imagination. Once this walk becomes steady and consistent then the former things just fall off for there is no longer any need for ceremonies, symbolism, or religion.

Some assume to have this relationship because the pastor told them that they already have it. They are only saved,  reborn, but maturity does not come at birth. It is not by faith alone, but by growing in and nurturing this ever improving relationship with the Lord. It is a process and yes, progress.
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