Something that tripped me up early in my Bible reading days was feeling like I should understand it from day one, the moment I opened it. That’s like expecting to know everything about a person the minute we meet them. What’s the fun in that?
It’s one-sided and doesn’t require interaction to accomplish. No questions. No anticipation of hearing something new. Why would we want to come back and visit, see them again, if we knew (or thought we knew) everything about them?
Reviewing Stories
So what would happen if we revisited some of those Bible stories we remembered from childhood? What if we read them today, would we notice anything new about them?
How about Noah and the flood?
One thing I notice is that they are so much longer than any version I heard as a child. Noah’s story spans four chapters in Genesis: chapters 6-9. If you’re feeling bold, grab your Bible and skim Genesis 6-9. If you’re reading this on your lunch hour, then just take a moment to reflect on what you remember about the story of Noah.
Remembering stories
Sometimes the best thing we can do on this Bible journey is remember the stories we’ve heard from the Bible. Maybe let an image or a picture of the story come to mind. And if we remember where in the Bible we found the story, then we know where to come back to it if it’s mentioned elsewhere in scripture. (Hint: Noah’s name comes up again).
So for now I’ll just remember the story of Noah and the flood is found in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.