Covenants & Cradles: A Tribute to Mama

I never thought that the story of Noah’s Ark would be a befitting story for a Mother’s Day tribute. But after last week’s endeavors, I believe it is an excellent story to honor our mothers.

The Ark Encounter 

This past Mother’s Day, I had the privilege of driving to Kentucky with my Grandmother and Mother to explore the Ark Encounter.

The park itself was incredible. It included a zoo, virtual reality experience, an auditorium used to host concerts and Christian seminars, and of course, the main attraction, Noah's Ark. 

The Noah's Ark museum was nothing short of amazing and seeing the Ark up close was breathtaking. The museum itself was built according to the exact measurements that God gave to Noah as described in Genesis.

More than that, once you walk inside of the Ark, you'll be met with three floors of interactive exhibits and a wealth of information. The scriptures truly came alive in this museum. And the more I walked around, it dawned on me, the true miracle of Noah's Ark is far more extensive than what I thought it was. 

Picture of the Ark Museum featured at the Ark Encounter.

The God of the Details

The more I walked around the museum, the more I realized just how intentional God is and how His attention to the details covers all of the bases.

I never thought about the water filtration systems that would have been needed to provide water to Noah, his family and every living thing on the Ark. I never imagined what the cages for all of the insects and animals would have looked like or how Noah and his family could have grown or stored food for the entire year that they were afloat. 

What did Noah's living quarters look like? How much oil did they need to bring aboard to combat the darkness? How did Noah become a master architect, engineer, preacher and zoologist all in the same season? All of these questions, all of these exhibits, kept pointing to one truth: God is Intentional. 

Preparation for the Call

As we continued our walk through, there was one exhibit that stood out to me the most and that sparked much conversation between me, my mother and my grandmother. The exhibit was entitled: God Equips His People to do His Work.  

The exhibit showcased Noah’s upbringing, using scripture and research of the time period to highlight Noah's possible familiarity with animals, farming and carpentry.  It’s amazing that Noah was 500 years old when he received the instruction from the Lord to build the Ark. And everything that Noah had experienced in his life up until that point had prepared him for his assignment several hundred years later.

And that’s when it hit me, this is the perfect Mother’s Day story.  The story of Noah isn’t just a story about a flood or one man's unrelenting obedience. The story of Noah is a story about God’s intentionality, Noah’s preparation, and the true capacity of God's vessel. 

If I can believe that God was detailed enough to use the skills that Noah had acquired throughout his lifetime to prepare him for the labor, ingenuity, and accuracy that his "yes" would require, then how could I not believe that the Lord was equally as intentional about the lessons He's allowed me to encounter throughout my life and even the family He decided to place me in.

Mothers are the Vessels that Carry Us Over

Every lesson I’ve learned, storm I’ve endured and reprimand I’ve received was preparation for a larger assignment. And just like the Ark, I saw my mother as one of the vessels that the Lord has used to help carry me over. 

Through every storm, her arms kept me safe. I never felt crowded out because she had the capacity to carry me and care for me. Her love brought me sustenance, comfort and even confirmation of the promises of God that would reveal themselves later in my life. She's given me instruction and time to execute so that when the rain came, I already knew how to weather the storm.

Just like the Ark, a good mother, my mother, provided shelter and care for me. She held me until it was time for the doors to be opened and for me to be released into this daring world,  hoping that all that she had given me would be enough to sustain me for the journey ahead.

May we honor every mother who was built with the capacity to weather storms and shield us with dignity, grace and limitless love. We thank God for the vessels that we call, Mother. We won’t ever forget the way they loved us and we will forever honor them for always being there.

To my mother: Thank you. You've carried me through some hard seasons. Your words ring true in my spirit, your wisdom is necessary and your love is invaluable.

Happy Mother's Day!

Signed a grateful daughter raised by an AMAZING MOTHER,

For your consideration.

"Hear, my son, your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck." 

Proverbs 1:8-9