God has a change of heart?

Genesis 9:8-11

Then God said to Noah and his family, “I hereby establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you—birds, cattle, and the earth’s wildlife—everything that came out of the ark, everything that lives on the earth. I hereby establish my covenant with you: All flesh will never again be swept away by the waters of the flood; never again will a flood to destroy the earth.”

When I see a rainbow I’m reminded of this Noah’s Ark story.

How do we hear this story? Is this a literal story of a time when God tried to drown creation? Or is it a nostalgic story from childhood? And really, does this story have much to say to us today?

What if I use my approach of reading a story backwards? For instance, this story is written as if God had the power to wipe people off the face of the earth then later decided not to do that ever again. Many people believe that God behaves that way by sending floods or typhoons or diseases to punish particular groups.

However, what if the story isn’t about God but about people’s changing view of God? People began to realize that when there is a flood, it isn’t the action of God trying to drown people. Instead, God wants to form a positive relationship with all peoples and all creation and has never sent floods or typhoons or diseases to punish people. The story is a simple way to express people’s realization that God desires relationship with all creation. Rainbow imagery simply sealed the deal.

One way God has changed for me is a realization that God’s activity can be seen and experienced through all creation and through just actions. I try to make that real when buying Christmas presents. I support the Because I Am a Girl program. Family members have goats and chickens bought on their behalf,

Because I am a Girl is a campaign that aims to transform the lives of the world’s poorest girls. Every year from 2007 to 2015 Plan will be producing a report that looks at the different ways girls around the world are affected by discrimination. Plan believes that girls access to education and legal rights can break the cycle of poverty and discrimination that girls face around the world. Check out their site: HERE

The Because I am a Girl song highlights the challenges girls face across Africa, where millions of teenage girls are forced out of school because of early marriage, gender-based violence and discrimination.

Produced by some of the leading African musicians, South Africa's Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Oliver Mtukudzi of Zimbabwe and Suzanna Owiyo from Kenya, the song was released to celebrate and promote the global launch of Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign marking the first UN International day of the Girl, on 11 October 2012: HERE

Our Advent Exploration question for today is: How has your understanding of God changed?

You might have a story to share about how your understanding of God has changed over time. Feel free to add a comment, a doodle, photo, poem, or a thought.

Here is my illustration of a multifaceted God: