It Rained

And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

Genesis 7:12

Surely you have heard the story of Noah's ark many times. That God called Noah to build a boat large enough to house himself, his family, and animals two by two. You're aware of how He flooded the earth and then sent a rainbow to promise His people that He would never do that again.

Surely you've heard this story. As you continue to read through the stories of the Bible and you come upon stories with water, how does this story fit into this new perspective? This new lens, that when water is mentioned, sometimes it means that something chaotic is going to happen or is happening.

You read in Genesis chapter 6 that Noah is a righteous man; in fact, he is the ONLY blameless man (Genesis 6:9). Now, this is not a story about blame vs. blameless. Everyone falls short of the glory of God. But this is still an important moment in time that depicts the love that He has for you, the promises that He makes for you. When you read about the time of Noah, I want you to think of absolute chaos. It was filled with wickedness, evil, corruption, and violence, and it left God heartbroken (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 6:11; Genesis 6:6). Let's pause for a moment on this line in Genesis 6:6: "So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart." He was heartbroken. Can you imagine how evil things must have been for Him to wish He had never made humans and that it broke His heart? Think of someone that you love dearly; now imagine that you are heartbroken over their behaviors. I would imagine that only touches a small fraction of the heartbreak that He had. Understanding this heartbreak is so important when understanding the depths of love that He has, and the pain that comes with this decision to flood the earth, to wipe out His creation. But He does make sure not to wipe it out completely. He does hold favor over Noah and his family (Genesis 6:8).

God told Noah that He would "flood the earth and everything on earth would die" (Genesis 6:17).

In Genesis chapter 7, you read about the flood: "Seven days from now I will make the rains pour down on the earth. And it will rain for forty days and forty nights, until I have wiped from the earth all the living things I have created" (Genesis 7:4). And when He brought the flood, HE BROUGHT THE FLOOD (I'm not yelling, just emphasizing). Chapter 7 in Genesis uses words like: eruption, mighty torrents, and rained for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:11-12). Here is where the lens of water begins. He brought the water to overcome the chaos and wickedness of the world that He created. The water came flooding over the earth. The water described here is not a peaceful, calming sprinkle of rain; it is described as a downpour, it is described as continuous, it is described as turbulent, swift-flowing, heavy downpour, heavy and uncontrolled flow. This is not the type of rain that you want to be caught in, but many were caught in this flood.

Depression and anxiety can feel at times like a flood. The experiences of depression and anxiety can feel overpowering; they can stream in and last for an unknown amount of time. Depression and anxiety are not always a trickle of symptoms; sometimes they are turbulent. Before you start to ask yourself, does God cause depression and anxiety? The answer is no. Before you start to ask yourself, is God mad at me when I experience depression and anxiety? The answer is no. That is strictly looking at this beautiful story of Noah from a lens that is focused on the rain, not even looking at the love, care, and desire that He has for you. The flood came to make a way during a time that He saw was very evil and not a way of living, and it made Him heartbroken. I imagine that He had so much compassion for His people that He wanted to give them a way, the same way that He wants to give you a way.

He goes on in Genesis 8 and 9 to confirm His covenant. In Genesis 9:8-13: "Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth."

Scripture:

Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God

Genesis 6:5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil

Genesis 6:6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor with the Lord

Genesis 6:11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence

Genesis 6:17 Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.

Genesis 7:4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”

Genesis 7:11-12 When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky. The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.

Genesis 9:8-13: Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Reflection:

How does the story of Noah change with this new lens?

What "flood" are you experiencing in your own life?

How do you recognize His love and heartbreak in this story? How does this relate to your experiences with depression and anxiety (or the experiences of someone you love)?

Prayer:

Father God, you sent the rain to cover the earth in your heartbreak over the evil that was happening. I know that you find evil in the experiences of depression and anxiety. I know that you sent hope in the trials and tribulations of the world in the sending of your son to earth to create a new covenant with your people. Lord, I ask that you comfort anyone who is finding themselves in the midst of a flood. I pray for anyone who, like Noah, is waiting for the rain to stop and to see what comes next. I know that you know what is to come next, and I pray that people can sit in this moment even when it might not make sense. I pray for anyone who experiences depression and anxiety, who struggles to find the end of it, but I know that you are there, beside them, with them, and for them. Lord, I ask that you send a rainbow to them and remind them of their purpose and value in you. Please comfort those who still struggle, and bring hope in your son's name. Amen.