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?
Here is my illustration of a multifaceted God:
