Lavonne Baker, Sister in Christ

Genesis 8:13-18 (NIV)

“By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth.  Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.  By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.  

 

Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and their wives.  Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you – the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground – so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.  So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives.”

 

Reflection:

Most of us are familiar with Noah’s story from Sunday School. We know he built that ark and gathered all the animals in pairs as God instructed. Let’s think about when the 40 days of rain stopped, and they were floating on water with nothing in sight for days and months on end. They were stuck inside with all the animals and their families the entire time, just floating.

 

What patience God gave Noah to wait in the ark until the waters receded. Even when they were on the ground, Noah waited until the dove came back with a branch in its beak. He still waited until God told him to “come out.” I’m sure there were times during that year that tempers rose and patience was thin (like us at times), but the Lord was with Noah from the construction of the ark to the end of the flood and afterward.  

 

Noah gave thanks to God for their safety and I imagine he also was very grateful for the patience God gave him during the flood. Patience to wait on God’s timing to enter, and when to come out of the ark.

Sounds very familiar, right? This past year we have been confined for days and months with our families, not venturing out much or even at all. Finally, over a year later we have been slowly easing back into interactions with others. 

 

Have we been thankful now for reduced disease threats and more freedoms? Yes, of course, but all too soon the same old things try our patience. Bad drivers, long lines, or really anything that requires any amount of waiting. Every day we struggle with some form of impatience with someone or something or ourselves. We don’t have to struggle on our own. We can look to the Lord who brought Noah and his family through a devasting flood and beyond.

“God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish. But everyone to come to repentance.” I Peter 3:9

 

Prayer: 

Thanks be to you, God, for your loving patience with me, your imperfect, impatient child. Send your Holy Spirit to grow the fruit of patience in my heart. I certainly can’t do it on my own, but with your help, I can do a little better in each situation. I love you Lord and praise you now and forever. Amen.