Noach/Noah
Genesis 6:9-11:32
Isaiah 54:1-10
Whenever I sit down to write my weekly post for the torah and haftorah portion, part of my ‘exercise’ is to still the voices or thoughts in my head of all the teachings I have heard about those verses or just the most obvious themes. I desire to find the ‘hidden’ gems or threads that might move and encourage our hearts; or just make us think. This week’s reading was like a gigantic mountain in my mind to overcome: Noah and the flood…I told myself there is no way I’m going to do the typical Noah themes and especially anything that even leans toward building an ark! Sadly, I need to inform you that I can’t get away from it and I’m going to write about building an ark; please forgive me, and try to overcome your disappointment in me and force yourself to read on. You can decide whether to forgive me or not, later. Where shall I begin so I can possibly ‘take’ us someplace new’? First thing I noticed is that God didn’t tell Noah to study meteorology or become a weatherman. He said, “build an ark”. How tempted we are to become ‘weather experts’ and see building an ark as secondary. By being an expert, we are kind of saying to everyone else that they need to build an ark, while we sit somewhere above it all and observe, thinking we will get a ‘pass’ from the One and Only True Living God, when it starts to rain. It’s kind of like valuing being right instead of the humility of obedience. Do we really think that He is impressed with us being ‘right’, or cares about all of our different theologies? We often act like there is a ‘quiz’ at the end of time, the score of which somehow saves us; as opposed to the blood of Jesus. I suggest you go for the ‘blood test’ and quit working on meteorology! Anyway, back to building the ark. No matter when you might be reading this, we live in a fallen world full of conflict, hurt, and disappointment. We tend to live with an inner pressure or temptation to explain it all or somehow insulate ourselves from the effects of the fall. Get over it for now; sometimes life sucks, even for those bought by the blood of the Lamb! So, what’s the point of building an ark; or for that matter what does that look like in a practical way. I believe the ark has a twofold purpose: the building of it in your life connects you in a vital way with the Lord and secondarily it prepares you for the coming ‘storm’, that we have no real grid for or way of surviving. A brilliant songwriter has a line in one of her songs, “when it begins to rain; it’s too late to build the ark”. I will let you dwell there for a few moments; I don’t need to comment. So, what does it mean to build the ark, or your ark? I believe it very personal and intimate with the One that loves you beyond your wildest imaginations. He wants to spend time with you, to involve you with His personal plans for your life and future; plans that could also involve your family and friends. Your ark won’t be finished in a weekend, and it could take a lifetime (and it probably will). The idea isn’t to have it finished, but to be in relationship with the Holy One of Israel every day, and to resist the temptation to become either an expert on building arks for others or a weatherman to predict what’s coming. Stay innocent and close to the Lord! He has the ‘plans’ all worked out for you to be ‘ready’ for what lies ahead. Have you ever thought about the fact that He too, in a sense is also building an ark? Remember when He said,
John 14: “I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
That whole idea of a mansion is so distracting; think more in the way a Jewish Bridegroom is thinking: “I’m going to prepare a place (a chuppah) where I can take you to fulfill my promises to you as a bride; a place to consummate our marriage…let your mind be blown! This is more than good theology; it’s the passion of our Savior! What if He in a sense is building the ‘ultimate’ ark for the ‘ultimate’ storm, that will visit the earth sometime in the future? He has plans to meet us in the clouds; in the ark He is preparing for His bridal people, when His Father says it’s done and time!
So, in the meantime; let’s begin asking the Lord what it looks like to begin building an ark in our lives and even compare notes at times. Don’t worry about your ‘carpentry skills’ or the breadth of your knowledge in the word of God…He has left His Master Builder with us: Holy Spirit! Just turn to Him and the two of you will build a worthy ark for your life and the storms that are up ahead. Ironically, He is preparing us for the ark that is being built in the heavenly realm for our wedding day! Just say yes and we will all be amazed as the ark for our lives takes form. by john eisner
Leave a Reply