Noah

Before the Rainbow

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Before the rainbow only one family received God’s grace.

Before the rainbow the earth was full of corruption.

Before the rainbow a 100-year project had to be completed.

Before the rainbow every God-given detail had to be followed.

Before the rainbow goodbyes were said to everything.

Before the rainbow a year-long boat ride.

Before the rainbow an altar produced a new covenant.

The rainbow reminds us of a promise. I appreciate the lessons to be learned from remembering what came before the rainbow.

Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash

The Flood: A Pandemic Observed

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Read Genesis 8-9 today. Three God observations:

  1. “The ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” God was in control, even to the detail of placing the ark where it needed to be. He made sure it rested and stayed put. OBSERVATION: Take care of the ark’s inside. God will take care of the outside.
  2. They were in the ark about a year, mostly waiting on the water to recede. While they waited, God had provided what they needed. Why was this important? Once they entered the ark, nothing was ever the same. The Flood was the pandemic of pandemics. There was no returning to normal.  OBSERVATION: God is God of before, during, and after.
  3. Noah lived 350 years after the flood. Noah’s life lasted 950 years. Scholars estimate the entire ark season of Noah’s life was anywhere from 75 to 120 years-at most 13% of his life. What’s the story of the other 87%? Through the “mundane,” God prepared him, sustained him, and multiplied him. OBSERVATION: God is there for all 100%, from the headlines to the footnotes.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Cam Adams