Noah 2

These are tough instructions.  God told Mary and Joseph to take their new baby hundreds of miles to live in Egypt.  God told Noah to build an ark and bring animals, food and his family into it. Have you ever been asked to do something that seemed too difficult? Maybe you are going through an impossible task right now.  Take a moment and just breathe. God is with you. You are surrounded by people that can love you through it.

Happy Mother’s Day.

I don’t know how anyone survives parenthood. It is a monumental task that is tackled one tragedy at a time.  Moms, you provide the conditions in which your children grow and then send them into the world to share their gifts and talents and perhaps start their own families.  You love unconditionally and sacrifice often.  You continually have your heart broken and wish you could provide more and better.

There is a wide range of experience among mothers here. 

To those who gave birth this year to your first child-we celebrate with you.

To those who lost a child-we mourn with you.

To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and war the badge of food stains-we appreciate you.

To those who experienced loss through miscarriage- we mourn with you.

For those who walk the path of infertility-we walk with you.

To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms-we need you.

To those who have warm and close relationships with your children-we celebrate you.

To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children-we sit with you.

To those who have lost their mothers-we grieve with you.

To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and overall testing of motherhood-we are better for having you in our midst.

To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children- we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be.

To those who step-parent –we walk with you on these complex paths.

To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren-yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you.

To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year-we grieve and rejoice with you.

To those who place children for adoption-we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart.

And to those who are pregnant with new life- we anticipate with you.

Noah came into the house one day and his sons Shem, ham and Japheth were off doing what boys do and he said to his wife, “I think I need to build a boat.”

Naamah, his wife and mother of his three sons probably had a reaction.

But then Noah, at some point had to describe the size of boat that he was intending to build. One that was 75’ wide, 450’ long and 45’ high.

This building just west of Grand Rapids, Michigan on highway 96,
 resembles what I imaging the size and shape of the Ark to have been. 

I imagine Naamah, which means “beautiful one,” again, had a reaction.

“So you, meaning we, meaning I am going to build a huge box, a barn, covered in pitch inside and out with three levels and we are going to live in it because a flood is coming?”

Don’t forget the animals that will be living with us, besides Shem, Ham and Japheth.

It doesn’t say how long Noah spent building the Ark.  But it must have taken a good long time and required quite a lot of resources.  And we never hear a word about his wife and sons.  They must have helped.  They must have sacrificed. 

The scripture says that “The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for he earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

We often focus on the destruction, the sin of humanity and the anger of God with this story. But is that really the point?

If God’s aim was to eliminate corruption and violence on the earth did God succeed? Have there been any instances of violence or corruption?  Of course on a daily basis, but does that mean God failed or does it mean that God had a different purpose in this story?

“Two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive. Take with you of all food that is eaten, and gather it to you; and it will be for food for you and for them.”

It’s not a story about what God is going to destroy, but more about how God saves.

“Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him, so he did.”

There is going to be a flood.  Listen to me and I will save you.

King Herod intended to massacre the children that were two years of age and younger so God sent Mary and Joseph on a difficult journey to Egypt.

The brokenness of humanity and the corruption of the earth swells all around us and threatens to overtake each one of our lives but God says listen to me and I will save you!  

During that time in Egypt Mary was being a mother to her son Jesus.  They were refugees in a foreign country because their very lives were under threat.

During the time on the Ark Naamah was being a mother to Shem, Ham and Japheth they were surviving a flood.

Both mothers were enduring under extraordinary conditions. They were providing the conditions for their respective children to grow and thrive despite their personal circumstances.

I’ve never heard a mom say that it was easy raising her children.  But it is definitely easier when you have help. Generations of moms have been leaning on each other in this church and I have seen you support and love the new moms that come into this church.

There is a monumental task that is before us.  God is calling us to do something grand.  God is calling us to do something difficult.  God is calling us to trust him that whatever in convenience may come our way that it is for a good reason. 

It’s not that God is bringing destruction but that God wants this place to be a place where people can find refuge and salvation from the corruption and the violence of the world. 

Let me talk to you about Vacation Bible School. You have told me that “family” is a top value of this congregation.  We value multigenerational experiences.  We see the person in the pew and the person down the street as part of God’s family and we want to both to know God’s love.  Vacation Bible School is more than entertaining children for 5 days.  In mid-June we are going to see the fruit of 1000 invitations to households in the surrounding neighborhood.  The team of people working on VBS this year has a vision to provide lunch each day for the children that come.  Not just a snack but a meal.  Then at the end of the week we want the families of all the participating children to come and have a cookout/potluck to celebrate.  It’s about sharing the love of God.  It’s about building community.  It will be a monumental task.  It will require many more than just the 5 or 6 people making the plans. We will need people making food, leading children, greeting visitors.  This is certainly more than a children’s program it is a community outreach.  WE want everyone who walks through our doors to feel so welcome and safe that they will not question whether this is the place for them. They will know it.

We value mothers; we value family; we value our role as stewards of all that God has trusted us with. We value our call to know Christ and to make him known. 

There are people that God is calling to find refuge here; they just don’t know where to go to find us. Perhaps we need a van or a bus to go and pick them up and bring them here. 

There are places in our building that are difficult to get to because of physical limitations, perhaps we can make adjustments so that all spaces in the church can be used by all people.  There are children nearby who need preschool. Perhaps we could provide one. There are people in our community who speak only Spanish; perhaps we could open our church so they could gather for a worship service in their language.

God is calling us to monumental things.  They may seem difficult, but God will bless our efforts.