It’s so easy to get caught up in the wild story of Noah with the ark and all of the animals and the massive flood that you might miss the opening three words of chapter eight: “But God remembered.” In the midst of the action, we can’t forget that in the center of the story is God. And God doesn’t forget God’s beloved creation. Yes, the flood was an act of God’s judgement on the world, but God also remembers the promise of protection and mercy.

And God doesn’t just remember the people, God thinks of creation and then acts accordingly. In the verse after “God remembers,” we see that God moves through the world and restores it. No doubt, there were times that Noah felt forgotten by God and wondered if God still cared about him. There may have been moments when Noah wondered if he would be saved by God or if the world would ever be brought back to life. But even if Noah didn’t believe in God’s promises, we can see that God never forgets or fails to act on a promise.

The same is true of God today. Even here at Duke University, even in moments when we feel discouraged or insignificant, God remembers us. God acts on our behalf. And God is for us. May this bring us hope as we wait to celebrate the ultimate way in which God remembered and acted for creation—in the life of Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray: God of all creation, We pray that in this moment, you might remember us and move in our lives so that we might grow in faith and love for you and one another. Amen.

Rev. Libby Boehne, Campus Minister