The Rainbow Proclamation. Lee Boardway

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      P.O. Box 2839, Apopka, FL 32704

      Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this book are solely

      those of the authors and other contributors. These views and opinions

      do not necessarily represent those of Certa Publishing.

      Dedication

      The only thing in this world we can really call our own is our actions; all else is given to us by our Creator. Even so, He allows us to (whether right or wrong) take credit for more than we deserve - this is a picture of the size of His grace. Therefore, I want to honor God by dedicating this book to Him – the idea for which, I believe, came from Him to begin with. Thank you, Lord, for the kindnesses you have shown. Truly, you are worthy of all honor and praise.

      Acknowledgments

      First, I would like to thank my patient, understanding, and supportive wife. She never questioned me; instead encouraged me to finish this book, even sacrificing to help me get it published. Indeed, she was the first to tell me she thought I could write – before I even “put pen to paper.” Thank you, Jai. I will always love you for all that you are and all that you have been to me. You are, indeed, “God-sent” and through you, He has proven that He always gives gifts beyond measure in value!

      I also want to thank my wonderful brother-in-law, Mukesh. Because of him, I was able to get this book published sooner than I thought. He is a kindhearted and generous man, and I am thankful the Lord has brought him into my life.

      Preface

      When I was at the beginning of my life, one event became indelibly engraved in my mind: in kindergarten, I was fascinated by the small box of crayons that I was given. The spectrum of colors caught my eye and to this day, I can still recall the order.

      I do believe that God has a plan for each of us, and I think He intended to show something to me to pass it on to others. I truly believe what He has shown is something more than mere coincidence. Clearly, the rainbow is of great significance in this world, as well as in God’s home.

      Prologue

      Water: life-giving and life-sustaining; we cannot last long without it nor can any life form on the planet.

      The rain falls and nourishes the ground, feeding the grass, the plants, and the trees. Yet there is one magical and mysterious object connected with the precious liquid that causes all to take pause and gaze in mesmerized awe: the rainbow.

      This colorful arc in the sky makes both children and adults smile with wonder; it invokes an excitement that is not readily explainable. It is surreal and odd, almost out-of-place - something that does not seem real or natural, but there it is, for all to see.

      I believe there is much more to this multicolored arc than most realize. Let’s take a closer look and ponder the possibilitie.

      Introduction

      Is God real? Do we want Him to be? Does He really love us? If He does, how far would He go to let everyone know just how much He cares? Is it possible that He would declare it to the entire world - even to those who do not accept the Bible as His Word? I believe that He has, and I believe that He told us of His love and His plan of redemption long before it even played out. I believe that He put that message in a form that no one can miss.

      We are narrow in our thinking, but God can see the whole picture and is capable of using singular items to teach multiple lessons. I believe He did just that with the rainbow. This non-verbal “message in the sky” reveals to the entire world the plan of God for humankind.

      This is a bold statement, but one that I believe is correct. With the colors of the rainbow we can see what God has done to “bridge the gap” between Himself and us - the gap that our rebelliousness has caused. It is my contention that this unique object tells the most important story of all: that God loves each one of us, and wants to show us how we can have a relationship with Him.

      I only want to show the symbolic meaning that can be taken from this phenomenon, so I will not discuss the technical and scientific explanations of the rainbow.

      Though there is debate about how many colors are actually in the rainbow, I will address the generally accepted number of six colors of the rainbow, plus one more, since they complete the “palette” needed to “paint” this story.