I was reading about Noah the other day, a story I’ve heard since childhood. A story that until now, has always elicited visions of rainbows, and pairs of bunnies, puppies, zebras, and ponies trotting triumphantly two by two onto a grand wooden ship.
I read it very differently this time.
I don’t know how long it took Noah to load the ark (I know there was some divine intervention involved here or the lions may have been snacking on some prairie dogs waiting in that line), but let’s just say that miraculous procession took “days,” whether that means a period of 72 hours or two weeks.
The great symbol we associate with Noah’s story— the rainbow— that glorious stripe of multicolor that appeared in the sky after the ark rested on land and Noah and his family were safe, symbolizing God’s promise to Noah— how long do you suppose that lasted? Minutes? A few hours? Guinness World Records cites the longest lasting rainbow to have occurred over Taiwan in 2017, just shy of 9 hours. Prior to this, the longest lasting was observed for 6 hours in 1994 in Yorkshire, England— but these are highly atypical occurrences; rainbows typically last only a few minutes (water droplets are moving, atmospheric pressures are changing, the earth and sun are both moving and angles are changing, blah blah blah).
For argument’s sake let us then say the rainbow lasted a few hours, and it took a manner of days to load the ark. These monumental, miraculous moments of promise and triumph.
But what about the REST of the time?
When Noah was building the ark? When it was raining, storming, when the waters were rising? When the boat was floating around without any land in sight?
What about then?
Scholars are not sure exactly how long it took Noah to build the ark- but we know it was years. And I’m talking in terms of several decades. This means that Noah faced extreme ridicule from the most evil people you could imagine for DECADES.
We know that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Scholars estimate by lunar calendar calculations that Noah and his family were actually on the ark for about 370 days. That’s approximately a YEAR on a ship, watching the storm, watching the waters rise, watching the obliteration of everything and then... nothingness. And more nothing. And waiting... and waiting. And waiting.
Do you think Noah ever doubted himself during those years of ship building, do you think he ever despaired while the waters were rising, or felt helpless and alone or even abandoned when he looked out over the great expanse of water stretching in all directions as far as he could see?
Has anyone ever told you that you “just need to have faith” when the waters are rising all around you, when you’re in a season of absolute despair? When you cannot possibly see a way off the ark, no dry land as far as you can see?
We forget the long- hugely long- season that Noah spent without a rainbow, so to speak. Just look back to our time comparisons. It’s just easier (and more appealing) for us to focus on the rainbow because we can see the miraculous end of the story.
Maybe it’s raining in your story right now. Or you’re trying to build your ship, save your marriage, overcome severe loss or heartache. Trying to overcome depression. Physical ailments. Maybe you’re watching a loved one battle addiction. Maybe you’re stuck in a less than ideal job situation. Maybe every day you wake up and it’s the same numbness; you look out of your ark and all you see is the same blue water and day after day there’s no dry land, no life preserver in sight. Just a rainy season of life that feels like it’s never going to end.
And that’s okay. He knew that although he couldn’t see it, the sun was somewhere behind the clouds.
You’re allowed to feel discouraged sometimes. But you can have faith, too— and be full of hope— it’s just a rainy season.
If Jesus is in your story, in the end the sun will always shine.
I promise, there’s a rainbow coming.