The Flood Story

Well, since I did not get to preach on the Flood Story last night it would be tempting to use this space to add my lengthy pastoral reflections on it, but I will start with just outlining again what we did and what that was like for me.

As we were designing this service, I wanted us to highlight the destruction element, so we started by destroying a mountain of sand with water at the same time as our arc floated to safety. From an organizational standpoint I was nervous about whether or not it would work. It makes me wonder how slow the flood might have been. The waters in the fish tank slowly crept up slowly eating away the sand and moving towards the arc. It was hard to tell at first that the arc was even going to float. What would it have been like to be on that boating, hoping as the waters approach that everything is ready and secure and you will be safe for the journey?

The second stage of the experience was one of hope, of being held in by God and hoping that all will be alright. As we placed candles on the water and watched them float I think this was a really cool experience for people. Several people shared their own feelings of feeling alone like the candles floating there. Something being adrift is so powerless. No where in the design concept for the arc is there any thought given to steering, that is left to God. Watching those candles drift around in the pool of water reminded me how helpless we can be and how dependent on God we can be for direction. Someone shared a really cool thought about the tensions between fire and water and yet they were able to co-exist in this space.

Ultimately for me the experience brought to life to critical elements of the flood story, its destructive nature and its faithful/hopeful nature. While the flood is about destruction it is also about new life and new hope for the future. The flood reminds me a lot about baptism, we submerge in water in order to be made new. But that is something for another week.