Noah’s Ark
Genesis 7: 11-24
“They went into the ark with Noah, two and two
of all flesh…and God shut him in.”
On Noah’s ark there was no rudder.
God gave Noah incredibly detailed instructions for constructing this floating zoo, dimensions of roofs and decks, but no steering mechanism. Have you ever noticed this? Noah doesn’t need to steer this thing because the direction, the duration, the destination are out of his control. This ship, laden with the seed of all life, is solely in God’s hands.
The ark, then, is a symbol of trust without control. What must it have been like to enter the ark, to have God shut and latch the door behind you, and then go wherever the waves take you?
In that same spirit, in the 6th century, monks like St. Columba left Ireland on mission voyages—with no idea where. They fashioned little wicker boats called coracles—round and no bigger than a dingy. Then, with a prayer in the name of the Trinity, they pushed off from Ireland with no oars and no rudder. Wholly at the mercy of the sea. Wherever the Master of the wind and waves took them was where they were to go.
We may not choose to push out to sea with no oars or rudder (I wouldn’t), but often that’s what happens to us anyway. We end up storm-tossed with no way to control this thing. That’s when it helps to remember Noah and Columba, to imagine that God may just be guiding this apparent shipwreck, taking us through struggle to strength.
Prayer: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: we wish the ark of our lives came equipped with rudders and anchors, but today we trust ourselves to you, the Master of wind and waves. Amen.
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When my older son was an infant, and there were many changes and little certainty about the particulars of life in the coming months, my spiritual advisor offered the image of pushing a coracle into the ocean and just letting it take me where it would. I hadn’t thought of it in years, and the reminder is a gift. Thanks, David.
This is such an affecting story—just imagining a new mother, knowing that this is a transcendent gift…and also that it changes everything. How lucky you were to have a spiritual advisor who could give you the image of the coracle.
I hadn’t thought of surrender in this way. It’s one thing to push out to sea with a lever or a wheel that I can manipulate, some modicum of control. It’s another to launch without any of that. That is full surrender. I don’t know that I’m capable of that generally but your post gives me a mental image of what that kind of surrender really looks like. Thank you, David.
Well, as I say, almost nobody except the saints choose this. But we mostly all end up in the same place. And then we can reach for their example like a life ring.
My comment is simply that I needed this today. Thank you, David.
My comment is simply that I needed this today.
Thank you, David
Grateful for the Master of wind and waves. What a comfort. Thank you, David.
“…a symbol of trust without control” – that goes soul deep. We start to get it when it goes to our depths instead of just in through our eyes and sitting in our thoughts. Good one!
Hi David,
Just a quick note to send greetings to you and Pam and tell you how much I’ve been loving your blog posts. They all resonate but especially this:
“We may not choose to push out to sea with no oars or rudder (I wouldn’t), but often that’s what happens to us anyway. We end up storm-tossed with no way to control this thing. That’s when it helps to remember Noah and Columba, to imagine that God may just be guiding this apparent shipwreck, taking us through struggle to strength.”
Thank you!!!! Pam Vossler
Thanks, Pam—nice to hear from you—and best to you and Matt!
Every morning before I get out of bed I give the day to Jesus. I say, “Jesus, you’ve got this. You lead and I will follow. I am in your hands and I trust you completely! Then, as my day unfolds, without any doubts or reservations, I know that Jesus is leading the way and anything that occurs during the day is not random.
That’s a beautiful prayer practice, Monte.
David, this is one of my all-time favorites because of the profound truths! I can’t execute something ( like building the ark ) without struggling to follow directions and not my own opinions, let alone releasing “the direction, duration and destination.” God knows I would’ve been trying to add something to steer and would only have boarded the ark because the rain came pouring down! This wisdom applies to my life right now!
I’ve copied several phrases into my Bible margins to help me seek to “trust without control”.
Thank you!!
“God knows I would’ve been trying to add something to steer and would only have boarded the ark because the rain came pouring down!” I’m laughing—that’s so me.