Wednesday 18 February 2009

Background

The story of Noah and his ark often conjures images of theanimals in a long line and entering two-by-two, as we may havewatched children playing out the story in miniature. There is neverenough room in the ark! Today's passage however, tells of the endof the story of the flood. The waters have abated and the riversand life itself can resume their normal course: the pattern of theseasons is restored.

Those who have first-hand experience of clearing away flood damageand rebuilding homes and lives know that 'getting back to normal'can take a long time, and that life may never feel quite as secureever again.

It might seem odd to us today that Noah sacrifices to God some ofthe very creatures that he has just saved, yet this action istestimony to the ongoing relationship of trust between Noah andGod.

The final verses of the passage offer a remarkable sketch of God'repenting' - having a change of heart and mind - just as the storysuggests that humankind is called to repent for indulgent andselfish actions. Taken together, this mirror image of divine andhuman repentance carries a powerful echo of the divine-humancovenant promised by God to Noah in the days before the flood (Genesis 6:18), andestablished after it. There is an acceptance that God's power issubject to its own limitations, and that God's energy is alwayschannelled towards sustaining life, not destroying it.

The image of Noah and his ark has been carried over into Christianthinking and imagery, especially through the link with the disciplePeter and his fishing vessel (Matthew 14:29). Thepicture of a boat or a ship can be a vivid way of connecting withthe Gospel story of Jesus stilling the storm on the Sea of Galilee(Mark 4:35-41),and with the experience of the first disciples (Mark1:16-20).

It is possible to speak of 'salvation' in Jesus as like 'beingrescued' from those things which threaten to overwhelm us. The arkor ship is often used to represent the Christian Church as a placeof shelter and safety. Indeed, many older church buildings haveroofs which are like the upturned hull of a ship.

To Ponder

In what ways does the story of Noah and the floodhelp you to keep faith in the face of natural disasters?

In your experience, does tuning in to the rhythmof the seasons also help in being attuned to God's presence?

In what ways do you find the image of the Churchas a ship helpful, or limiting?