ADVENTALES - THE STORY OF A BOW IN THE SKY.

 

It was a very hot day. So hot that all the children had gone swimming in the lake nearby. From a distance, you could hear the sound of laughter as they dived into the water, splashing and shrieking with joy. 

Little Noah sat on his mother's lap, content to eat his ice lollipop and listen to the sounds in the distance. His mother occasionally popped a grape into his mouth which he chewed on happily.  He loved his mother and his homestead. He enjoyed watching his father tend to the various animals that they reared for a living. 

Years later, Noah got married and took over from his aging father. His mother left for her eternal abode soon after, leaving a void in his life that was soon filled by his wife and three boys. 

One day, as Noah was busy grooming the horses, he heard a soft sound just behind the rock on which he had laid his staff. He walked over and saw a little bird, caught in the brambles. With great dexterity, he disentangled the wounded bird and set it free. 

The bird soared up into the sky and vanished out of sight but left behind a small gift. Noah picked up the dainty feather and put it in his pocket. 

Decades passed and Noah was now growing old. He had trained his sons to carry on the trade of his forefathers. He awaited now only for his entry into the eternal abode. But God had another big job for Noah. 

Noah was sitting one day under a tree when, to his surprise, a little bird flew down and rested on his shoulder. The bird began to speak.  "Noah," it said. "God wants you to be prepared for a long journey. And he wants you to build yourself a boat for this trip " 

Noah was puzzled. A boat! Whatever for? There was just a small stream in his village and no sign of rain in a long long time. He asked the bird, "Why would I need a boat, when I have to walk on land with my family and belongings to reach any place I need to go?"

The bird whispered at length into his ears. Noah's eyes grew wider and wider, and he gasped in horror. The world and all the people were going to be destroyed forever by God! God must be very, very angry to want to destroy something He had created and loved. 

With a deep sigh, Noah agreed to build a boat for himself and his family. God sent him the specifications and although it seemed way too large for such a small family, Noah set about building that boat. 

When the boat was ready, God sent the bird again and this time, it had another surprise for Noah. 

"Noah, I know you are wondering why you had to build such a large boat for your family of eight. Well, God wants to save you and all the animals he has created. They and you are the only ones who have pleased Him. So, gather the beasts of the fields, the wild animals and the birds in pairs and get them into the boat."

Noah waited for all the animals and birds to enter the boat. He knew exactly what each would require to survive the journey. Each one was given a place to sleep, enough food and water and Noah himself planned to supervise the cleaning out of the stalls so there wouldn't be a mess everywhere. 

The day arrived and the rain poured down in torrents, flooding the earth and drowning all the people and animals left behind. The boat rode on the waters, steered by the hand of God. For forty days and forty nights, it sailed on the waters until the rains stopped. Then the waters receded and the boat could dock on dry land. 

Noah saw that it was now safe to let the birds and animals out. As they sauntered off the bridge, two by two, they thanked Noah and his family in their own unique way. Then Noah and his family also disembarked wth their belongings to set up home in this new land. 

"Noah, I am with you, and as a sign of our friendship, I now put a rainbow in the sky. Whenever you see it, you will remember that I promised never to destroy this world again." 

God was true to His promise. He never destroyed our beautiful world again. 

And Noah, well, he settled down in the new land and his family grew and grew until they occupied the whole earth. And they all stayed true to God and in His love. 

Written by Auriel Ribeiro Sa 

Copyright@aurrsa

#fromtheheartofaurrsa