Flood
If you grew up in church, chances are the story of Noah’s Ark was one of the first Bible stories you heard. Maybe you remember coloring pictures of animals walking two by two, or playing with a toy ark where everything fit together neatly—the smiling giraffes, the little boat bobbing gently on calm waters, and, of course, the rainbow at the end. It’s the kind of story that shows up in children’s books, painted on nursery walls, and retold in Sunday School.
But when we turn back to Genesis 6–9 as adults, the story feels very different. Beneath the children’s illustrations lies a sobering and complex narrative. It is not a quaint bedtime story, but one of divine heartbreak and human ruin. It’s about a world spiralling out of control, a God grieving over creation, and a flood that washes over everything. Yet, woven through that darkness, it’s also a story of grace, renewal, and promise.
Genesis tells us:
“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:5–6).
Those verses are some of the heaviest in Scripture. The same God who looked at creation and declared it “very good” now grieves over humanity’s corruption. God’s love is not detached; it’s deeply invested, even wounded. And yet, into this despair comes a small but powerful sentence:
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8).
Noah’s life wasn’t flashy. He didn’t perform miracles or lead armies. The Bible simply says he “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). In a world filled with violence, greed, and corruption, Noah lived differently. His quiet faithfulness—listening, obeying, building, waiting—became the vessel through which God preserved life and carried creation toward a new beginning.
That’s the heart of the story. The ark isn’t just a big boat—it’s a symbol of God’s saving presence. While chaos raged outside, God carried Noah and his family through the storm. And Genesis makes a beautiful turning point:
“But God remembered Noah” (Genesis 8:1).
That phrase doesn’t mean God had forgotten. In Hebrew, “remembered” means God acted on behalf of His covenant. God moved. God sent His Spirit, the wind, across the waters—just as He did at the dawn of creation. Out of chaos, new creation began to emerge.
And then, the rainbow. Not just a pretty bow in the sky, but a covenant sign. In Hebrew, the word for “rainbow” is the same as the word for a warrior’s bow. God is pictured as hanging up His weapon, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:13–15). The covenant wasn’t just with Noah—it was with every living creature. God’s care extends not only to humanity but to the entire creation.
So what does this ancient story mean for us today? It reminds us that floods still come. Not always with water, but with fear, uncertainty, loss, injustice, or despair. The world can still feel chaotic, and sometimes our personal lives do too. But just as God remembered Noah, He remembers us. He acts. He saves.
And like Noah, we are called to walk with God in a world that doesn’t always understand. Faithfulness today might look like integrity when it’s easier to cut corners, compassion when it’s easier to stay indifferent, or hope when cynicism is more popular. Small acts of obedience may not seem spectacular, but they matter deeply in God’s story.
So where do you feel the waters rising in your life right now? Where are you being invited to trust God, even when obedience doesn’t make sense? Maybe it’s stepping into a difficult relationship with forgiveness, showing generosity when finances are tight, or simply persevering in prayer when answers feel delayed.
The story of Noah and the flood reminds us of this truth: God never abandons creation to chaos. His love is faithful. His Spirit is at work. And beyond every storm, He is writing a story of renewal.