“But God remembered Noah and all of the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” -Genesis 8:1 (NIV)
The world is emerging from a lengthy stand-still. A number of us are returning to the office. Businesses have expanded hours and airlines are over-capacity. Large gatherings such as concerts and festivals are scheduled for the first time in two years (yay!).
While I’m eager to return back to life as usual, a recent cancer diagnosis has put my ambitious plans on hold. The days are sometimes monotonous, and the restlessness sometimes morphs into a bit of a depression. I’m endlessly thankful for the company of my tiny family, including a sweet, little dog and gigantic cat, but the majority of my outside human-interaction consists of video-conference calls and hospital visits. I find myself waiting for the moment that this quarantine-life ends, a day when COVID-19 and cancer are a thing of the past.
However, God is with me. He reminds me that these times have meaning. That life still exists in a time of rest and preparation. I recently read an entry in my journal from the middle of the pandemic. At that time, and now, He reminds me that this time will have an end.
I woke up in the middle of the night. I heard “Genesis 8:5” in my spirit. God often communicates with me in chapter and verse. I was unsure if it was just in my mind, but I really felt that I recognized His voice. I opened my Bible and read the verse:
“….the waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.” Genesis 8:5 (NIV)
My heart pounded. Why was this seemingly random portion in the middle of Noah’s oceanic journey the perfect verse in that moment? Well, the calendar date was October 1…and the verse noted the day, “the first day of the tenth month.” I know that this is actually a different day in the Hebrew calendar, but I believe that this was the moment that I could understand the message, so this is why the Lord showed it to me on that particular day.
“The tops of the mountains became visible.” This was the first sign that their long voyage at sea would not last forever. The waters were, in fact, receding. The watery purgatory had an end-date. Notice that it was not over immediately. Stuffed into a finite ark with his closest family members and a pair of every animal in existence…that certainly sounds like an interesting quarantine experience. They did not know when it would be over. But they were shown a sign that it would be over someday. God was still in control. And He would take care of them all and bring them into a new, better world…eventually.
“…by the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.” -Genesis 8:14 (NIV)
It took several more months for the waters to recede completely. COVID-19 is now becoming less of a restricting force in our daily life. I don’t know exactly when I will be finished up with surgeries and radiation treatment. It may be a few more months. It could be longer. But I can see the tops of the mountains. God is in control. He will take care of us. Life is still happening in our midst and God is working behind the scenes. Let’s rest, reflect, and wait on His perfect timing.
Your Turn
Did you gain something during the pandemic that you would not have if you were able to continue with your life as usual? Are you currently in a season of waiting? Can you see the tops of the mountains?
