Scripture Readings: Genesis 9:8-17 & Mark 1:12-15
Many of us might have faced hardship due to the recent storm and power outage. In the severe storm and in the dark night, I worried about your safety and well-being and prayed for you as you navigated through the storm. Despite the darkness that surrounded us, I am grateful the light of compassion and support from our family and loved ones shone brightly during times of need.
During times of uncertainty, may we find solace in our faith, knowing that we are never alone. Let us have strength from the words of Scripture and the comfort of prayer, trusting in God’s guiding hand to lead us through the storms of life.
In Genesis 9:8-17, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his descendants, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood. This covenant is symbolized by the rainbow in the sky. God’s covenant with Noah is unconditional, meaning it does not depend on any actions or behaviours of humanity. It is a promise solely based on God’s unwavering faithfulness.
The rainbow is a symbol of promise and faith that God will honour His word and keep His covenant. It represents the grace and mercy that God bestowed onto humanity despite their transgressions and shortcomings. It is the sign of hope between God and all life on the earth.
God’s covenant also reveals the unity of all creation, the undeserved blessedness of humanity, and all creation’s total dependence upon God’s compassion. It is said what affects part affects all. May we appreciate and experience diversity in unity under God’s ownership.
If we take God’s covenant and embrace the promise about Christ seriously and intentionally, it would profoundly change a faith community into a place where people are willing to let their hearts be remade in the image of God’s heart; a place where people would let their hearts be open, with grief over the world and its chaos. And when their hearts were broken, the people would be moved to co-worker with their Creator through patient, forgiving, loving, and prophetic action for the renewal of all creation.
As we transition to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is sent by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for forty days. The sacrificial servant is tested by Satan in his final preparation for fulfilling his mission. In Mark 1:12-15, although Mark does not have many details regarding the temptation of Jesus, we observe Jesus facing temptation in the wilderness. Despite Satan’s relentless efforts, Jesus emerges victorious, demonstrating His obedience to God’s will.
This testing period serves as Jesus’ final preparation before beginning His ministry and strengthens Jesus for His mission ahead, highlighting the sacrificial nature of His ministry. After overcoming temptation, Jesus begins His ministry by proclaiming the Good News of God’s kingdom. This good news is the gospel that brings forgiveness, restoration, and new life. People not only hear it but also encounter the One who is able to deliver it.
John the Baptist had already been preaching for the people to “repent”, but Jesus added the word “believe”. Jesus announces that the time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand, calling people to repentance and faith. He urges people to repent and believe in the Gospel. Repentance involves turning away from sin and turning towards God, while belief in the Gospel signifies trust in Jesus as the Savior and acceptance of his message of salvation.
Jesus emphasizes the urgency of responding to the Good News by repenting and believing. He highlights that the time is fulfilled, indicating that the kingdom of God is near, and that people should act without delay.
Today’s texts focus on the establishment of God’s covenant and the proclamation of the Good News. The covenant with Noah signifies God’s faithfulness and mercy, whereas Jesus’ ministry heralds the arrival of the kingdom of God and asks for repentance and faith in the Gospel.
Jesus’ message of hope, forgiveness, and restoration brings new life to all who hear it. Jesus invites us to repentance and faith, urging us to turn away from sin and embrace the transformative power of the Gospel. As we embrace the Good News, we encounter Jesus Christ Himself – the One who delivers forgiveness, restoration, and new life. Through His sacrificial love, we are invited into a deeper relationship with God, where we can personally experience His grace and mercy.
As we reflect on God’s covenant with Noah and the proclamation of the Good News by Jesus Christ, may we be reminded of God’s faithfulness, His unfailing love, and His invitation to new life. Let us respond to His call with repentance and faith, embracing the transformative power of the Gospel in our lives.
Especially, as we journey through the season of Lent, let us embrace this time of reflection and renewal, turning our hearts towards the promise of hope and transformation. May this season of Lent be a beacon of light in the middle of darkness, guiding us towards a path of healing and spiritual growth.
Let us also remember those who are still facing challenges in the aftermath of the storm in our lives and the war in the world, extending a hand of compassion and a prayer for support to those in need. May our actions be a testament to the love and kindness that express our faith, showing that even during the hardship, we can be beacons of hope for one another.
May we pray for others in need and seek God’s strength and resilience to face whatever challenges may lie ahead. May we emerge from this storm stronger and more united than ever before, guided by the light of faith and the promise of brighter days to come.
The story of God’s rainbow covenant was recorded during people’s exile from their homeland and the chaos for their community. We know chaos continues in our world through war, violence, ecological and natural disasters, and through the inequity of the distribution of resources and wealth among the world’s many peoples. Individually, chaos comes into our lives through broken relationships and unexpected illnesses and uncontrolled addictions.
However, God is the One who remembers us, corporately and individually and gives us Jesus who is our Saviour with love and forgiveness in our life’s chaos and storm. Even when Jesus emerges from the wilderness and begins his preaching ministry, the shadow of powerlessness and vulnerability, the shadow of the cross, hangs over Him. God cares for our suffering, weakness, and loneliness.
In the light of God’s rainbow promise and salvation promise through Jesus, the church can become a place where hope springs and reconciliation blossoms. As a body of Christ, may we respond to God’s call to be a place where the colours of the rainbow are welcome in God’s sight. As God showed His patience and forgiveness for people and gave the promise of hope, in our lives and communities, may restorative resolution happen in the love of Christ.
Lent has begun! Spiritual gymnastics and faith training from the wilderness of temptation may strengthen us for major trials by deepening our relationships with God who calls us. Even when we may face wilderness temptations and our own spiritual wrestling, may we walk with Jesus toward the cross and have a deeper and fuller relationship with God.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)