The ark

While reading today’s bible passages as I sit at home in lockdown, I could relate to Noah and his family, locked together in an ark that was saving them from certain destruction. As we have been in lockdown for over 30 days now, I can imagine Noah and his family getting cabin-fever as they floated above the flood waters for such a long time. But however uncomfortable things may have gotten, they were aware that they had been saved by entering through the door of the ark and staying inside.

In our Gospel reading we hear of another entrance to safety. Jesus describes himself as the Gate, the only entrance into God’s ark of salvation.

Reflecting on these two passages, we can perhaps explore three things about the ark of salvation:

1. It is open to all

2. Entering doesn’t mean we won’t be affected by storms

3. We – like Noah – are called to share the Good News about it to others and invite them to enter too.

THE ARK OF SALVATION IS OPEN TO ALL WHO ENTER THROUGH THE CORRECT DOOR

Everyone is eligible to enter into the ark. It doesn’t matter whether you’re male or female, rich or poor, whether people see you as important or unimportant, whether you have good or bad morals and behaviour. Everyone is invited to enter.

The Bible tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.”

Noah and his family and all of the animals entered through the door, which was the only way to get into the ark. Jesus tells us that He is the gate to the ark of salvation. That it is impossible to enter into it through any other way but the cross of Jesus Christ. Those who enter are those who recognise that no matter how well behaved we think we are in comparison to others, no matter how badly behaved, there is nothing we can do to qualify us to enter the ark. The gate to the ark of salvation is open to all who acknowledge that they are sinners and that they are in need of a saviour.

ENTERING INTO THE ARK OF SALVATION DOESN’T MEAN WE WON’T WEATHER STORMS

Those saved from destruction in Noah’s ark were still tossed about by the waves, wet by the rain and pushed off course by strong winds. They were not isolated from or unaffected by what was happening around them.

When we enter into the ark of salvation through Jesus Christ our troubles don’t stop. Jesus tells us that in this world we will have trouble but encourages us not to fear because He has overcome the world.

As we are all living in the middle of the Covid pandemic and are practicing social distancing and isolation during this current lockdown, many of us may be suffering from loneliness and financial difficulties. Others may be struggling with relationships with the people they are living with. Receiving salvation doesn’t stop us from experiencing the difficulties and often painful realities of life.

Although we are in the ark of salvation we still struggle with our old sinful nature. We are susceptible to falling back into old habits or behaviours and forgetting that we are new creations in Christ. Sometimes we may say and do things that hurt ourselves and others and that go against God’s right plan for our lives. But we can be encouraged that we can turn to God in repentance because we are His.

We are His people, the sheep safely in His fold. And whether we are one of the 99 that are staying safely within His Will and following His voice, or whether we are that one who is wandering off, perhaps led astray by an internal or external voice of temptation. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, we must remember that we are God’s. We can turn back to Him and receive forgiveness. We can seek His guidance and listen to His voice.

Perhaps we can use this lockdown to take time to focus on God’s voice. We can examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word and allow it to show us where we are in error, where we need to repent, the people we need to apologise and make amends to. We can take advantage of the enforced ceasing of the usual distractions and busyness and use this quiet to listen for God’s still small voice.

WE ARE CALLED TO LEAD OTHERS INTO THE ARK OF SALVATION

Just as Noah led his family and the animals into the ark that would save them from the flood, we are also called to bring others to the ark of salvation.

We are called to spread the good news that there is a way to be saved from the just punishment we deserve for our sins. The whole world needs to hear that there is a way to be healed from the hurts and wounds that our sins and the sins of others have caused us. There is a place of unending mercy and forgiveness, of unconditional love. We who have entered into the ark need to believe and remember that – as Psalm 23 promises – God’s goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. We can trust in Jesus alone as our gate into the ark of salvation and our shepherd.

There are many people who are deterred from entering into the ark because they have somehow been led to believe that they have to achieve some unreachable level of goodness in order to qualify. We are called to share the good news that everyone is eligible, that all who will enter through the gate are qualified to do so.

And once we are in the ark we enter into a relationship with God that is eternal. He offers us endless mercy, forgiving us time and time again as we come to him in repentance. His mercy guides us towards the right paths and away from the wrong ones.

We can trust in Him alone and we can have faith that no matter what we face in this world, God will lead all those in His ark safely to an eternal home.