A Dove's Heart

Well, all of you must know about the story of the dove in Genesis.  But something jumped out at me this week in my Bible reading that I never noticed before.  Before Noah sent the dove out of the ark to search for land...he sent a raven.  The raven stayed away and never returned to the ark.  Then the dove was sent out of the ark to look for land.  The dove came back because she was weary, and Noah pulled her back in for a rest.  The dove was sent out again and came back again with an olive leaf and more rest.  When the dove was sent out from the ark a third time, it never returned. Here is the story for your background reading pleasure:

(Genesis 8: 6-12, KJV)
[6] And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
[7] And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
[8] Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;
[9] But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
[10] And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;
[11] And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
[12] And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

As I read this story, my heart was encouraged.  So many people are like the raven.  They begin in the safety of the ark and are sent out into the world...and never return.  Others are like the dove.  They begin in the safety of the ark, and return to rest, then are sent out again into the world.  In Genesis, the dove finally did find a home in the world, along with the rest of the people that were in the ark, but the little nugget that jumped out from this reading is that the dove came back to the ark to rest.  Wow. 

When my soul is weary, and I need rest, I need to have a dove's heart and go back to the ark...the safety of God's Word, the church and the fellowship of other Christians.  We never hear what happened to the raven, only that it never returned to the ark.  Most likely, the raven was drowned in the waters when it weakened from flying too far from the ark.  Much in the same way, when I stray too far into the world, and leave the safety of God's Word, the church and the fellowship other Christians, I become weak in my spiritual flight, and begin to drown in the worries and cares of life.  

May this thought encourage you today to have a dove's heart, and stay close to the ark...the Word of God, the church and the fellowship of other Christians.  And if you are currently safe in the ark and see a weary dove needing rest, be the one that pulls her back into safety.  Be an encouragement to a weary soul needing rest, and God bless you in your journey.

Your Sew Happy Quilter,

Pam