This week we start a min-series on Noah. You will need an instrument and something that makes a building noise - such as a pan and a wooden spoon - to join in with the story. Here is a colouring to download too. Below the video is the Thankful Thought for grown-ups. Love & prayers to all, Claire xxx
Thankful Thought October 1st : Noah – building the ark Genesis 6 v 9 to Genesis 7 v 5
Well I think this is the third Thankful Thought I have written on this passage but the first written in a pandemic. I wondered what in this story jumped out to you as you read it in this season?
I was struck by the prelude to the flood – Gen 6 v 6 "The Lord was sorry he had made human beings on the earth. His heart was filled with pain.” I am in no-way suggesting that God has sent the virus, I don’t think this pandemic is sent by God – no rather the evil one. However, it struck me that the pandemic has stopped us all in our tracks. It has revealed some very evil things the destructive powers of– racism and economic poverty - to name just 2. I wonder what God looks at in our world today, that causes his heart to be filled with pain? I wonder what trials of this season are causing your heart to be filled with pain? I wonder if they are the same things?
Noah however did not cause God’s heart pain – we read “Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord” and why was this? We read “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time and he walked faithfully with his God” This verse brought be hope. We have Jesus and the new covenant he brought us through his death on the cross and resurrection and so we too can walk a righteous life, our sins forgiven. How then in this season can we continue to walk faithfully with our God when so many of our usual ways to worship, pray and have fellowship – the things that keep us going on that walk have been taken away?
I wondered if we like Noah had had instructions from God ahead of the virus – what would he have asked us to build and prepare? How crazy might it have looked to others if suddenly we were investing in extra computers, opening zoom accounts, enrolling on video editing courses, stocking up on pasta and loo roll, cancelling all our holiday and wedding plans. Making face masks or stocking up on soap? Would we all have bought a dog ready to have an excuse to leave the house? Or would God have given Noah instructions of how to prepare his heart and faith to withstand the pandemic and what needs building for that ark?
I would suggest we need strong beams of deep knowledge of God’s faithfulness throughout many generations – the kind we see described in the Bible and shared in the true life testimonies of so many who have lived as Christians since. I would suggest we need a roof of prayers – our own and our collective prayers be -that over the phone, facebook or zoom. I would suggest we need sustenance of quiet times & times of worshipful praise, seeking the presence and assurance of the love of our Father and our saviour Jesus Christ – be that by a window in our homes, on podcast, on youtube or in church.
We are, I feel still in the ark phase of this seasons story – we are perhaps still building our ark while the rain is falling around us and the waters are rising again. We are all carrying like God, painful hearts for things we thought we’d never see. Don’t give-up the building and don’t forget all the passengers! – gather them in, in many ways around you and share the sustenance you have that we might all find ourselves in a new and more thankful land when our ark settles on a dry mountain top after this.
Blessings Claire xxx