12. “And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

13. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

14. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

15. I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

16. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.'

So God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.'"

Genesis 9: 12-17 ( NIV )

After my father died on November 25, 2003, I came home, and my mother started to plan his memorial service. During one of our phone conversations, she mentioned that a small white flower had appeared on one of her azalea bushes. This is unusual in November, even in North Carolina. She felt that it was a sign from God that Dad had arrived safely, and she should rest in His love.

In planning Dad's memorial service, I suggested we sing O Love That Will Not Let Me Go. I had heard a message on this hymn at Sandy Cove just before Dad's death, and the words brought me great comfort. My sister and brother-in-law (the musicians in the family) felt it would be too difficult to sing. However, we did decide to include it in the service.

On the morning of the memorial service, my mother walked outside to visit the flower. She came into the house and asked my sister and me to come outside with her. On another of her azalea bushes a tiny red flower had appeared.

“And from the ground there blossoms red. . .” God was indeed letting us know that He was ever present during those dark moments. During Lent, may we look for signs of His eternal love and His hope. He is an amazing God and ever present in our lives if we simply look for His signs and hear His whisper.

PHYLLIS SMITH