Genesis 8:13-17: a reflection

13In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ship, and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15God spoke to Noah, saying, 16“Go out of the ship, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.”

After the long ordeal of the flood, the waters at last recede, and God speaks to Noah with words of a new beginning. Go out of the ship, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives with you, God says; bring out every living thing, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply. The judgment was past; now came the fresh start, the coming out into a cleansed world to begin again. God did not leave the world in the desolation of the flood; he brought Noah and the living things out into a renewed earth, giving a new beginning, a fresh start after the waters had done their work.

Notice the new beginning God gives after the flood. The flood had been judgment, desolation, the old world washed away; but it was not the end. God brought Noah out into a cleansed world, to begin again, to be fruitful and multiply, to build a new life on the renewed earth. After the judgment came a fresh start; God gave a new beginning where there might have seemed only ruin. The coming out of the ark was the start of something new, a life to be lived again on a renewed earth. God did not leave things in desolation, but opened a new beginning, a fresh start after the waters receded. The judgment gave way to renewal.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can give new beginnings and fresh starts, even after times of desolation. We can pass through times that feel like desolation, when much is swept away, and wonder whether anything can begin again; but God brought Noah out of the ark into a cleansed world to begin again, giving a fresh start after the flood. God is a God of new beginnings; he can open a fresh start even after desolation. When you have passed through a time of loss or desolation, do not think all is ruin; God can give a new beginning, a fresh start, as he brought Noah out into a renewed earth. Take hope that God can give you a new beginning and a fresh start even after times of desolation, as he brought Noah out of the ark into a cleansed world to begin again and be fruitful; for God is a God of new beginnings, and after the waters of judgment or loss recede, he can open a fresh start on renewed ground.

Lord, after the long ordeal of the flood, the waters at last recede, and you speak to Noah with words of a new beginning. Go out of the ship, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives with you, you say; bring out every living thing, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply. The judgment was past; now came the fresh start, the coming out into a cleansed world to begin again. You did not leave the world in the desolation of the flood; you brought Noah and the living things out into a renewed earth, giving a new beginning. Show me the new beginning you give after the flood. The flood had been judgment, desolation, the old world washed away; but it was not the end. You brought Noah out into a cleansed world, to begin again, to be fruitful and multiply. After the judgment came a fresh start; you gave a new beginning where there might have seemed only ruin. You did not leave things in desolation, but opened a fresh start after the waters receded. Take that to my heart, for you can give new beginnings and fresh starts, even after times of desolation. I can pass through times that feel like desolation, when much is swept away, and wonder whether anything can begin again; but you brought Noah out of the ark into a cleansed world to begin again. You are a God of new beginnings. When I have passed through a time of loss or desolation, keep me from thinking all is ruin; you can give a new beginning, Lord. Help me take hope that you can give me a fresh start even after times of desolation, as you brought Noah out of the ark into a cleansed world to begin again.