DAUGHTERS OF EVE

PART 2: MRS NOAH

Well…do you know the name of Father Christmas’ wife? Of course! It is MARY Christmas!!!

So…guess the name of Noah’s wife…yes, you’ve got it…Mrs Noah!

We’ve seen the cartoon story of Noah and the Flood…and we ALWAYS look at what happened from HIS point of view. But, today, I want to look at it from the point of view of his wife. This is the story of Mrs Noah and the dreadful Flood.

We know that Mrs Noah was on the ark. Amongst other verses, we are told in Genesis chapter 7 and verse 7:

“And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood”

I bet she was glad to be there. But I wonder how much she knew about what was going on. You see, God was talking to her husband – Mr Noah – and, let’s face it girls, men just aren’t that good at telling you what is going on. They just kind-a expect you to “know” and get on with it.

Mrs Noah had an incredible task. She had to TRUST that God knew what He was doing. Oh yes – Noah told her that a flood was coming that was going to wipe every man and animal off the face of the earth – but maybe he didn’t tell her “why”. She had to prepare for the needs of the family and the ark without knowing why these terrible things were happening. Suddenly the rains fell, the waters of the deep burst open, and the flood rose. But she trusted God – that He knew what He was doing and that He would make all things right.

How like today! From nowhere (because even the latest American research has come up with no firm conclusions) a Pandemic of world-shattering proportions swept the globe from the start of 2020. Who knows where it came from (conspiracy theories and Facebook “fake news” besides). Some say it is from the devil, some say it is the judgement of God on a wicked world (just like in the time of Noah). Others say it is just “one of those things”. And still others blame the Chinese for manufacturing it. Who knows?

Let us, like Mrs Noah, just learn to trust God that He knows all that is going on and will sort all things out in the end.

Now I reckon that, like most women, our Mrs Noah was a very sociable person – with family and friends whom she loved and loved to be with. How hard it must have been for her to be on that ark, seeing the waters rise and hearing the dreadful cries of all her friends and extended family as they were swept away and drowned. How hard it must have been for her to see washed away her home and her possessions – things in which she had invested for so many years. Again – what a need to trust in God and to put her hope in Him.

How like today! We have seen loved ones – family and friends – struck down (apparently randomly) by the awful COVID-19 virus. We have had to suffer bereavement and loss of all kinds – material and physical – jobs and health.

Let us, like Mrs Noah, just learn to trust God that He knows all that is going on and will sort all things out in the end.

The Flood lasted a long time. Even after the rain had stopped they remained in Lockdown for so many months until the land outside was fit for them to walk on. And once out of the ark came the job of digging deep into her personal resources and rebuilding a life that had been shattered. It must have been very tough for her. But she trusted God – that He knew what He was doing and that He would make all things right.

How like today! Just like Mrs Noah we are having to learn to rebuild our lives and our society. There is a “new norm” for all of us – whether it is wearing a mask to the supermarket or working from home or getting used to “Stay-cations”. Life will maybe never be the same again.

Let us, like Mrs Noah, just learn to trust God that He knows all that is going on and will sort all things out in the end.

And I wonder what Mrs Noah thought when she saw that very first rainbow in the sky? I wonder how she felt when she heard the voice of God promising that He would never destroy the earth again till the end of time. I wonder whether she was in wonder of that symbol of hope for the future and God’s presence with her now. I wonder how changed she was, how determined she was to make the best of the time that had been granted to her when so many others had been lost? But she trusted God – that He knew what He was doing and that He would make all things right.

How like today! It is so important for us all to know that in the midst of this horrible pandemic our Father in Heaven is with us and cares for us and loves us and wants to help us as we rebuild our lives as we come out of this modern-day “flood”.

Let us, like Mrs Noah, just learn to trust God that He knows all that is going on and will sort all things out in the end.

If there is one thing that this past 18 months has shown us, it is that life is fragile. Life is brief. Life is so uncertain. No one of us knows whether they are going to be safe from the virus and will get through it if we catch it.

Let us therefore ensure that we are focusing less on the here-and-now which is so uncertain.

Instead let us ensure that we are focusing on the forever-and-ever and are ready for it.

Many years later the Book of Acts tells us the story of another crisis – an earthquake broke open all the cells in the prison in Philippi. In one moment the life of the jailor fell apart – he thought he was a “dead man” (as was the Roman punishment for a jailor who let his prisoners go free). The Christian apostle Paul – himself a prisoner there – reassured the jailor that all the prisoners were safe. In awe the jailor cried out –

‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ (Acts 16 verse 30 if you want to find it in the Bible)

Paul replied with –

‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’ (that’s verse 31)

There you have it – you want to know how to respond to this awful tragedy of the past 18 months? Prepare for eternity – life is so fickle – believe in Jesus, make Him Lord of your life, and you will spend eternity in Heaven. Simple! That’s what we call the “Gospel” or “Good News”.

So let’s be like Mrs Noah – and just learn to put our whole trust in God – He knows what He’s doing.