FLOODWATERS RISING?

 DECEMBER 4, 2022

Gen. 9:13-15

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth... Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

Often I think when I read the Noah story, when God told Noah to build the Ark for a future flood it must have seemed like an insurmountable task. Where would he start? Where and how would he gather all that was needed for construction? What will people think? Was there going to be any hope for the future of the earth after the flood? Put your self in Noah’s place, what would you have been thinking, what questions might have been your questions?

I wonder if the Advent season might appear that way to many of us. The busyness of the days increases as we search for that perfect gift, find all the right ingredients to a family’s traditional recipe, try to meet deadlines, try to muster up enthusiasm for decorating and creating the most beautiful Christmas tree, and find the way to manage the expectations of family, friends, and the community. At times, doesn’t it feel like the floodwaters are rising as the days draw near to Christmas. But in the end, we would do it all over again next year for our promised Messiah is born! It’s a time to reflect and celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior, our Hope, our Friend.

Back to Noah, God not only supplied him with all that he needed to follow through on God’s request, but after it was all said and done, God said: "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth that this will never happen again."

Let me ask, Are you able to see the rainbow of promise and hope for the future as we await the coming Messiah?