2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 16

The other day in the news I heard there was another nor’easter headed for New England. It was expected to dump lots of snow in the coming days. Springs storms can be very destructive because the snow is heavier than in the middle of winter. When the weather forecast tells you to stay inside to stay safe, you know a ‘bad one’ is headed your way. We are very blessed to have an advance warning system for severe weather.

Our host parish in Tarpon Springs experiences annual hurricane season in much the same way. When the weather forecast warns us to button down the hatches, we listen. Of course, Tarpon Springs has been blessed with more than a century of protection from Saint Nicholas, but still the residents use caution and prepare for the storm.

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.  Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive upon the face of all the earth.  For in seven days I will send rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”  And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

Genesis 7.1-5

Today’s reading from Genesis is God’s advance weather warning system. “Get in the Ark, or die!” That was the warning. Thankfully, Noah listened, but there is more to the story today. God also told Noah to take animals with him into the Ark. This wasn’t to provide food for Noah. God was protecting His creation.

Yesterday, I suggested hearing the word ‘church’ every time you hear the word ‘ark’. That means God is telling us, “There is a great storm coming. Get in the Church or die!” So far, our reading of Genesis has proven one thing. God always is looking out for His creation, and He always does what He says.

If God wants us in the Church to protect us from the storm that is coming, we best obey. We also need to remember the benefit we have, over the Jews of the Old Testament. We know more of the story than they did. We already know Christ comes to save us. We already know about His birth, death and resurrection. We already know that the story in Genesis is the story of our salvation, not just a history of some group of people.

We SHOULD also know that if God prepared humanity generations ahead of time through Genesis, then He is preparing humanity now for what is to come. He already told us about a great calamity at the ‘end times’ that would cause great suffering. God always does what He says, and we best listen. I hope you’ll join us in the Ark.