Year in the Bible Daily Reading:
Genesis 9-11; Mark 4 Listen to Today's Reading
Genesis 9:8 – 17
Then God told Noah and his sons, “I solemnly promise you and your children and the animals you brought with you—all these birds and cattle and wild animals—that I will never again send another flood to destroy the earth. And I seal this promise with this sign: I have placed my rainbow in the clouds as a sign of my promise until the end of time, to you and to all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds, and I will remember my promise to you and to every being, that never again will the floods come and destroy all life. For I will see the rainbow in the cloud and remember my eternal promise to every living being on the earth.” Genesis 9:8 – 17 (TLB)
There are so many stories in the Bible. Stories that were written by prophets, kings, poets, scribes . . . over a period of more than a thousand years. Each one tells us a story about who God is to a certain people during a certain time. As we read the Bible, we get to see how past generations got to know God in their time, place and culture.
The story of Noah’s Ark and the flood is like that. Interestingly, before Genesis was ever written there were stories about floods that were sent by other deities in ancient Mesopotamia. There are several, but the Epic of Gilgamesh is the most complete. It tells that the gods were angered by humanity; someone is warned; a giant boat is built; animals survive; life begins again after the water recedes.
There is a difference, however, in the Genesis flood story. In the Genesis story, God cares about what happened. God cares and God promises to never destroy all life again. Not just human life, but every living thing on earth. To the ancient reader, this is a different ending.
We live in a broken world. Suffering, injustice, persecution . . . happen daily. Species have become extinct; climate change is warming the earth. God’s answer isn’t another 40-day flood, it’s people who will partner with God to bring healing, justice, mercy and hope. God promised not to destroy the earth. It’s time for us to join in God’s work of life and love.
Questions for Reflection:
- The next time you think, “I can’t believe the Bible says that,” ask yourself the question – “What would this have sounded like to the people who first heard it?”
- The next time you think “What can I do to possibly make a difference in the world today,” think instead, “What’s one small way I can help make the world look a little more like God’s kingdom today?”
Prayer:
God of promise and hope, Your creation is beautiful and complex. You have promised not to destroy the earth. Show us how to live with and for each other and to care for the world around us. Show me what I can do to make your promise come true. Amen.
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