The Floodgates of the Heavens
Scripture Reading — Genesis 7:1-12
All the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
The story of Noah and the flood is not usually described as a journey at sea, but Noah was one of the Bible’s most gifted seafarers. He built a massive ship that housed his family and all kinds of animals. And with God’s help he navigated 40 days and nights of storming and flooding. Then they all waited months for the waters to recede.
It must have been extraordinary to see the waters coming from all directions—from the ground, from the sea, from the sky—a cataclysm bringing destruction on the earth. Though Noah had built the ship and prepared for this over many years, the force of the storm and the scale of devastation must been shocking and overwhelming for Noah and his family.
Yet God had prepared a way of salvation. God taught Noah how to build the ark. And when the flood came, God guided Noah, his family, and all the animals to a place where they could land. God also promised that a flood like that would never come again.
The Bible shows that God’s justice flows together with his love and mercy. Despite the trauma and destruction of the flood, God provides shelter and promises new and full life. Today we see this even more clearly in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for all who believe in him!
Father in heaven, thank you for always being faithful to your promises. Protect us in the storms of life, and guide us in your mercy. Amen.
About the author — Jason Zuidema and David Rozeboom
Dr. Jason Zuidema is executive director of the North American Maritime Ministry Association (namma.org) and an elder in the Église réformée du Québec. David Rozeboom serves as chaplain at the Montreal Ministry to Seafarers of the Christian Reformed Church (ministrytoseafarers.org). The authors thank Kevin Walker, NAMMA director of programs, for editorial assistance.
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