Through The Bible in a Year - January 23, 2026

"Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief." – Genesis 5:29

When Noah was born, his father named him "comfort" or "relief," saying, "This one shall bring us relief from our work and painful toil." Those who heard must have wondered: Is this the one? Is this the promised seed who will crush Satan's head and fix this broken world?

They quickly learned Noah was not that one. But their question reveals what they desperately needed—what we all desperately need:

• A God who brings relief after ruin

• A God who makes provision for sinful, broken people

• A God who brings peace after pain

• A God who brings divine provision for human failure

• A God who brings rainbows after rain

Some of you know about rainbow babies—the child born after a mother's pregnancy loss. That baby is never a replacement, never a reason to avoid grief. But a new baby is new life, new purpose, some means to deal with the grief and recreate joy again.

This is what God offers all of us. Whatever your loss—a child, a marriage, a job, your health, even losses caused by your own mistakes—God says that when the teardrops fall like raindrops, they can be preparation for the rainbows. They can bring restoration, relief, fresh hope, a clean slate, new life, new purpose.

Respond: What loss are you grieving today? Bring it honestly to God. Don't rush past the tears, but don't camp in hopelessness either. Ask God to prepare your heart for the rainbow that He's bringing.

Prayer: Father, I'm grieving. The loss can feel overwhelming, and sometimes the pain feels endless. But I believe You are a God who brings relief after ruin, who makes provision for broken people like me. Help me trace the rainbow through the rain. Give me hope that this is not the end of my story because you are my God and I am your child. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.