Being Living Rainbows in God’s Promises

In a recent exhortation, Tom Russell reflected on the blessing of belonging to God’s family and the strength that comes from shared faith. Drawing on a simple conversation with his daughter about rainbows, he explored the difference between knowing something, seeing it, and truly living it. Faith, he reminded us, is not just about understanding God’s truth, but about practising it every day.

Turning to 2 Peter chapter 1, Tom highlighted Peter’s final words of encouragement to believers. Peter was writing to faithful brothers and sisters, reminding them that God has called us to share in His purpose and to escape the corruption of the world. Through God’s precious promises, we have been invited to become “partakers of the divine nature”, with the hope of eternal life in His Kingdom.

This calling, however, requires effort. Peter urges us to continually add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These qualities are not optional extras. They are evidence of a living faith and help keep us spiritually alert and fruitful. If we stop growing, we risk becoming short-sighted and forgetting the hope we were cleansed for.

Using the image of a cherished bottle of champagne that had to be given away, Tom illustrated how difficult it can be to let go of things we value. In the same way, we are challenged to ask ourselves what we are willing to sacrifice for the Kingdom. Our hope in Christ is a free gift from God, but it must be protected and prioritised. Nothing in this life is worth trading for our eternal future.

The rainbow theme was revisited through God’s covenant with Noah in Genesis 9. Rainbows remind us that God keeps His promises, even during storms. Interestingly, to see a rainbow, we must have our backs to the sun. Likewise, when we face trials and cannot see God clearly, we can still trust that He is behind us, supporting and guiding us.

Peter also reminds us that our hope is firmly grounded in eyewitness testimony and inspired Scripture. The gospel is not a myth, but God’s revealed truth, confirmed through Jesus Christ and preserved in His Word.

Tom concluded by encouraging us to “be rainbows” for one another. When others feel overwhelmed or discouraged, we can point them back to God’s promises. Through kindness, encouragement, shared experiences, and faithful living, we can help lift each other’s eyes toward the coming Kingdom.

We have been given a wonderful hope. Let us be diligent in nurturing it, growing in Christlike character, and reminding one another that God is faithful and His promises are sure.