Genesis 8:1-12 “Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.”
“Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.” Water!!! For forty days and nights, all Noah and his family have heard is the rain beating on the roof and the deck of the ark while the waves crash into the side of the ship. Not only has God caused torrential rainfall, but the “fountains of the deep” have already spewed forth their water as well. But on Day #41, the rain stops and the water begins to recede. At first, Noah and his family don’t realize what’s happening, but suddenly they notice that it’s quiet with only the wind blowing. The animals in the ark also notice the difference and are making happy sounds. The ark is no longer moving but has come to rest on a mountaintop. But it takes several more weeks before the mountaintops appear.
Noah sends out a raven that can perch on mountaintops, but it’s not until Noah sends out a dove that he gets the necessary information. The first time Noah sends out the dove, the dove returns immediately because there is nowhere for her to perch. Noah waits a week and sends out the dove again. The second time, the dove returns with a fresh olive leaf in her mouth, indicating that the water is receding. Noah waits an additional week and sends out the dove a third time; this time, the dove doesn’t return because she has found a nesting place.
By this point, Noah, his family, and the animals are becoming thoroughly tired of being on the ark. Noah is worrying because the animal food is running out. Noah’s family members are becoming fractious after being confined to small cabins for the duration of the voyage, only going on deck for some fresh air after caring for the animals. Noah is wondering how much longer everybody can survive the situation. Just when things are looking bleak, Noah suddenly realizes that the rain has stopped and all he hears is a wind blowing. Noah begins to hope that the worst is truly over.
God can send His peace into all kinds of situations; however, there’s a special allure to the peace we feel after a storm has passed by. We come out of our shelters, thankful to have survived. Life has never seemed so precious and we feel an incredible sense of relief. In such situations, there is a special kind of peace borne of joy that we have endured and hope that we will never have to be tested in that way again.
Perhaps you have been enduring a time of strenuous testing. Take heart! God is bringing you His special peace. The same God who instituted Sabbath rest wants to give you rest right now in the midst of your problems.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Thank You for giving us the rest we so desperately need and with it, Your peace. In the mighty and previous Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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