I don’t want to be shy to say that I follow a loving God. He is so good, and the more I follow Him the more I am aware that He is faithful, and He is kind. There are also times that I can be so aware of how resurrecting His love is. This week was one of those times.
Have you ever noticed that the same element that was used to destroy the earth in the flood, is the same element that is used during a person’s public profession of faith through baptism? Water. I get uncomfortable thinking about the flood. I really do. For a while I almost had this fairy tale Sunday school story of the flood going on in my head. I remember the dove, and the rainbow. Yay, everything is good in the world! But I forget the flood happened. I don’t focus on the fact that, because of their disobedience, practically the entire human race suffered under His wrath and died while frantically gasping for breath as they were submerged in the water. The flood is not a sunny day with doves flying around and a perfect rainbow in the sky. There is death all around.
After the flood, and once the water began to recede, Noah sent out a dove to see if it could find dry land. At first the dove could find no place to land, but Noah sent the dove out again a week later and this time it came back with an olive branch, a sign of peace.
“and the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and settled on Him”
Luke 3:22
Unlike those who were submerged in the water under His wrath, in baptism you emerge from the water covered in His peace and love. The old is made new. Just like after the floodwaters receded, when Jesus emerged from the water when He was baptized the Spirit of God descended like a dove and settled on Him. It can not be a mistake that the dove has been mentioned again. Like the dove bringing the olive branch to Noah letting him know that life can be supported, could this be a parallel sign that new life can be supported through Jesus?
Do you feel like you have no place to land? Like you are frantically going through life and that you are drowning with no sign of hope? My friend said to me recently “I am spiritually dead. I don’t need refreshment, I need a resurrection”. Do you feel like you need a resurrection?
It’s about to get real friends. I have a confession to make, and just like I get uncomfortable thinking about the flood, I get uncomfortable thinking about this. As I was sitting around the dinner table this week with 3 women I shared with them how ironic it was that they were sitting there. You see, back in my college days, and in the years shortly after I wasn’t really a fan of women. I had a few close friends that were girls and didn’t feel this way towards (they are still friends to this day), but besides them I generally liked to hang out with guys more. Less drama. No competition. My love for women had all but drowned in a flood of competition and drama.
the same thing that was all but dead in my life, has new life.
Once I started to return to my roots in faith, I began to realize how beautiful it can be when 
women come together and not compete, but instead build each other up and encourage one another. Over the past few months, I have a few women come over once a month for If: Table to share a meal together, laugh together, cry together, encourage one another, and pray together. These women are not part of my inner circle, but women that I deeply love. I wouldn’t trade this time with them. And that is how He created us. He didn’t create us to be in competition with one another. He created us to love one another like He loves us. I couldn’t be more thankful that the same thing that was all but dead in my life, has new life. What was once all but dead, has been resurrected into my greatest passion.
Beautiful one, what separates death from love is Jesus. What is dead in your life? In what area are you frantically trying to grasp for air? Don’t drown in the flood with what is old. Bring it to Jesus and rise from the troubled waters in His love. Let His peace rest on you.
