The Foolishness of Treading Water

Genesis 9:8-17

 

        In ancient times nothing was feared more than a flood. It was believed that the anger of the gods manifested in swirling waters that cascaded through the land leaving nothing but a corridor of death and destruction.

        We forget how dangerous a flood can be. Without a care or a helmet, folks who don’t know one end of a kayak from the other launch their craft into gentle waters without realizing the dangers that might be lurking downstream.

        Ever ridden down a road in West Texas? At the bottom of many a hill is a pole with feet markers on it. West Texas is drier than a 25 minute sermon until it rains. Instantly, parched gulches become raging rivers. The poles warn drivers how deep the water is. There is nothing more sobering than driving on a dry pavement, starting down a hill thinking a little water has crossed the road and spying the pole which reveals the water is actually six feet deep. Twenty minutes later the water is gone and the desert has returned. Water, when released, can be a deadly.

        Genesis 6:5-8: God saw the wickedness of humankind was great and evil was continually in their hearts. God was grieved and regretted spoiling the earth with humans. God said to the angels, “I am sorry I placed humans among the animals and birds. I will wipe them out.” Only Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.

        Everyone knows the Noah story. A very thin reading depicts a wrathful God looking down upon the new creation and God is displeased. Rather than work to bring harmony among a people who didn’t think they were all that bad, God just planned to destroy them.

        A thicker reading portrays God as seeing the beauty of creation spoiled by a reckless and selfish species that could care less that pollution was poisoning the rivers and smog was shrinking the polar caps. In order to protect the birds and animals and vegetation, God exterminated the two legged vermin who were causing the crisis.

        Of course we know humanity was not completely destroyed and therein lies the complexity and I believe the beauty of this mythological story. After the water recedes, after the animals are released, God established a covenant not only with Noah but with the descendents of every living creature that came off the ark. The promise was this. “I will put a rainbow in the clouds, and when I become angry I will look at my sign and remember my pledge to never again destroy creation with water.”

        Immediately fly by night Biblical scholars and TV evangelist decided that God, in all HIS wrath, was planning an even more elaborate destruction. They have convinced everyone who foolishly listens that someday God will rain fire down upon the earth destroying good and evil alike. And we better be prepared because that day could be today.

Could it be we have missed the entire point of this marvelous story? Before it was discovered that perhaps he was not a very nice man, Bill Cosby was a pretty funny comedian. Remember his routine on Noah. It went something like this.

God speaks, NOAH!

Who is that?

NOAH!

What?

THIS IS THE LORD SPEAKING.

Right.

I WANT YOU TO BUILD A BOAT. IT WILL BE 300 CUBITS, BY FIFTY CUBITS, BY 30 CUBIT.

        Right.  What’s a cubit?

        WHEN YOU FINISH IT I WANT YOU TO PUT TWO OF EVERY ANIMAL IN THE BOAT.

        Right……… Am I on Candid Camera?

        WHEN YOU FINISH THE BOAT I WANT YOU TO GET IN BECAUSE IT IS GOING RAIN FOR 1,000 DAYS.      

Just let it rain for 40 days and the sewers will back up.

        RIGHT!

        You expect me to drop everything I’m doing, build a boat, collect animals and wait for it to rain just because some voice out of nowhere commands it ?

        NOAH, HOW LONG CAN YOU TREAD WATER!

(stop)

        A number of years ago I took a youth group to Idaho. One afternoon we found ourselves floating down the Salmon River. It was a hot day so I slipped over the side of our raft and floated down the river. As the current picked up the boat pulled ahead of me. I to started to swim toward the raft when the guide hollered, “Roll over on your back, point your feet down river and hold on.” I doubt what I went through was more than a class one rapids but it was enough to get my attention. A little bruised and very embarrassed I pulled myself back into the boat as soon as we managed to find calm waters.

        Life is kind of like that. Sometimes we choose to jump out of the boat and tread water for a while. We just need to get away from a particular situation. Maybe it was something as simple as a misunderstood word. Maybe we hit a nerve that we didn’t realize was so sensitive.  Maybe our feelings were hurt and we weren’t quite ready for an apology. Instead of staying in the boat and figuring things out, we jump in the water and start paddling. Sometimes that works. But often the current picks up and a relationship heads toward the rocks.

        In the Noah story the lead character was told to get in the boat. We understand that. But at the end of the ride God took Noah, and the animals, and said, “You have got to take care of each other. You cannot do this alone. I promise that I will not lose faith in you. But in return I ask you not to lose faith in each other.

I know Lent is supposed to be a time of quiet reflection. But Lent is also a time when we ponder how our faith is a combination of trust in God and trust in each other. This week you were wonderful to suggest I take a few days to recover from Dad’s death. But I don’t want to be out there treading water alone. Rockfish is my boat and you are my community. I will heal much quicker if right now I know you are steering me to calmer waters.         Amen.