One of the greatest challenges in dealing with any issue is when nothing is happening—when there is no progress day after day, and no resolution of the issue in view.

This is a key element in the story of Noah’s Ark. When people think of the story of Noah, they often think of Noah building the ark, or the animals coming on two by two, or the rains falling; but the most extensive part of the story, at least in terms of timeline, is the journey. The journey of the ark takes over a year. It is a lot of floating . . . waiting for the water to go down . . . watching the ground dry. Have you ever watched a puddle dry? The journey of Noah is characterized by an extreme slowness of any progress. Yet Noah perseveres in faith. He trusts that God’s good purpose will unfold.

Have you ever watched a puddle dry? Click To Tweet

So we are encouraged to do the same. In the midst of the stormy seas of our time, we may see little progress toward anything good; but we can keep on in faith, trusting that God is leading us toward a bright future.

Sunday’s Scripture Readings:
Genesis 6:11–21
Genesis 7:12–18, 7:24–8:11

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This Sunday, Dr. Palmer begins his new sermon series "Navigating the Storm—How to Live in Faith in Troubling Times." We live in stormy times. How can we journey through a world full of such evil and trouble? The story of Noah is an archetypal image of how we can make it through the storm when we put our trust in God. Join us at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30! #NTSSeries
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About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.