On a recent trip to Florida, I was walking on a marina pier with my family when we noticed something spectacular in the sky. A double-rainbow. It appeared through heavy, dark blue clouds.
What is a double-rainbow?
According to AccuWeather.com meteorologists, a double-rainbow happens when… “A ray of sunlight passes through a raindrop, reflecting off the back of the drop at varying angles.”
According to Wikipedia… “Secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops, and are centered on the sun itself.”
What a sight. I couldn’t move for maybe a couple of seconds, but then I hastily dug in my purse to grab my cellphone and take a picture.
Suddenly, a man riding a bike crossed my path. He called back, “You better hurry and capture that shot. Double rainbows are very rare; something to be said about its luck.”
I took the picture and was about to comment to the man, but he was too far down the pier.
We stood in awe observing this miracle above us. Miracle, you say? Yes. It was. How often does one see a rainbow, let alone a double-rainbow?
We finished the remainder of our wonderful trip; but every day, I made it a point to go into my photos on my phone and stare at the only one picture I took.
Now that I’ve been back home, curiosity got the best of me on the awesomeness of the rainbow, but more specifically double-rainbows. So, I went online and found some interesting pieces of information that I’d like to share.
According to Eastern cultures, a double-rainbow is a symbol of transformation and a sign of good fortune. The material world is represented by the first arc, while the second arc is the spiritual realm. Hmmm…Sounds good. I’ll take it.
In the Bible, there are a few books that make references to rainbows. These places to study are found in the books of Genesis, Ezekiel, Exodus, and Revelation.
- It was God’s covenant to us that he would never destroy the Earth again after the great flood. (Genesis 9:12, 15)
- The Lord was going before them. (Exodus 13:21)
- The author is describing the appearance and likeness to the glory of God. (Ezekiel 1:28)
- John sees the throne of God. (Revelation 4:1, 3) A mighty angel who is Jesus himself coming through the clouds. (Revelation 10:1)
In the last few months, my family and I have been going through some challenges and struggles. My writing has suffered too and I’ve been questioning my “place” in this world.
The vision of this double-rainbow has assured me to trust in God and do all things for His glory and not my own. I got to believe in the purpose of my life and the true reason for existing.
I ask you to do the same. We have one life that we are given. Live it the best that you can.