Can we watch them drown?
The LORD said to Noah, ‘Go into the boat with your whole family; I have found that you are the only one in all the world who does what is right. Take with you seven pairs of each kind of ritually clean animal, but only one pair of each kind of unclean animal. Take also seven pairs of each kind of bird. Do this so that every kind of animal and bird will be kept alive to reproduce again on the earth.’ (verses 1-3)
Here is a picture of what happens when God finally has had enough of human disobedience and rebellion and destroys humanity. And, because of human wickedness, all of creation too. How must Noah have felt as he saw the water rise and people and animals drowning? And was able to do nothing about it?
We live in a world which is every bit as evil as people were in the time of Noah. In many ways we are just like him and his family. We too live in a kind of ark. We are people in fellowship with God, guaranteed eternal life, protected from the world around us as we live in the security of Christ’s body, the church. How do we feel as we look from the windows of our ark and see people around us drowning? Drowning in the sea of wickedness, hopelessness, despair, callousness and apathy that is society today?
Because, unlike the situation in Noah’s day, God has given us a lifeline to throw to these people. God wants them in our ark too. Our ark is not limited in size – there is room for all.
How do we feel when we look out of the window of our ark and see people drowning?
Father, I thank you that in my baptism you placed me in your ark. Move me to reach out with compassion, so that others too can be saved. Amen.
by Robert Turnbull, in ‘God’s Promises for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1999)
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