Genesis 9: 8-17
God promises never to cause a flood to destroy the world. The bow or rainbow is the symbol of this promise from God. The bow placed in the sky is a symbol of peace. The bow is a weapon used to shoot arrows. Then the bow set as a rainbow communicates that God is no longer angry, he will not shoot arrows like lightning and punishments to the earth. God will never flood the earth again.
The environment
But is it really not possible for us to experience floods? Scientists say that the world’s temperature is rising and that is why the ice is melting in the Arctic and Antarctic. The ocean levels are rising.
But what does the Bible say?
The bible says that God will not cause a flood, this is the covenant between God and Noah. However, the Bible does not say that we cannot cause catastrophe like a flood. It is possible that the actions of human beings can cause tremendous problems in the world.
But isn’t God going to save us?
Spiritually we know that we are saved by God’s grace through faith and not by our good deeds. Physically human beings still get sick and die. The world is the same. Although God loves and cares for the world, the world can get sick, change and suffer.
Twenty-fifth Psalm
The twenty-fifth psalm is a prayer for God’s help. It says, “ To you oh Lord I lift up my soul and I trust in you.” God has the power to save us from our enemies. The enemies are not necessarily other human beings but our sins. Sins are actions that harm God and ourselves. Once upon a time someone said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
God saves us, then, by helping us improve our behavior. Psalm twenty-five says that God teaches his ways and his straight paths for us. If it is our conduct that has resulted in dangerous threats to the environment, then it is our conduct that must improve the situation. God is going to teach us the ways we should follow and act better.
1 Peter 3:18-22
Holy baptism is a sacrament of God that saves us from our sins. Peter says that baptism is like the ark that saved Noah and his family during the great flood. Baptism saves us from death, sin, and the devil. Baptism is water and the Word of God. Baptism works through faith. And we must practice baptism not just once, but daily. Every time we wash our hands, bathe, or drink water, we must remember and renew our faith in God.
The changing climate in the world means that there is more water in liquid form: more floods, more big storms, and more rain on the face of the earth. The presence of more water is an opportunity to remember our baptism. Perhaps the purpose of all these changes is to remember and increase our faith. If we had more faith in God we would cause less destruction in our lives and in the world. It is our obsession to prove our worth that causes us to exploit the world and damage our lives. I tell you that we must have more faith and less action.
Mark 1: 9-15
Have you noticed that this is the fourth time since Advent that we have read of the baptism of Jesus? It suggests that there is something important in baptism. The baptism of Jesus indicates the beginning of his public ministry. He repented, that is, he changed his life at this time from his career as a carpenter to a preacher, healer, and savior. And I ask you, what is the first act that Jesus does after being anointed by the Holy Spirit and called the beloved son of God? Absolutely nothing! He goes to the desert for forty days, and he has a fast. He did not eat, he did not work, he did not heal, and he did not preach. He just spent time with the wild beasts and let, but he let, the angels serve him.
Jesus Christ had the most important job in all of history and his first act is to do what? Absolutely nothing! Do you know how long Jesus had his public ministry on earth? Three years. That is not that much time. He had one year less than an American president. Can you imagine if any president’s first act after inauguration was to say, “Bye. See you in forty days. I’m going to the mojave desert. See you.” The country would have had a collective heart attack and finally the parties would meet and with one voice say, “You have to work!” Why? Because they are deceived to the idol of good works.
But we are not like that. We are not deceived. We know the truth. We are saved by grace through faith. The only thing you have to do is have faith!
God saves us.
Angels serve us.
The beasts and animals accompany us.
Trees bear fruit in abundance.
The oceans are full of life.
The heavens cry out and sing with songs of the birds.
And further up in the sky is the bow of God, a symbol and reminder of our salvation.
God says, “I will never destroy you. I always love them. Amen.”
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