January 26, 2018: The Story of Darla, the Dove

Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions.  This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on January 8, 2013.
 
Prayer:  Say a prayer to God in thanksgiving for the ways which God uses us to spread love.  
 
Reading:  Genesis 8: 6-12 (Click to read text)
 
Stop and GROW:  After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers.

QUESTION 1:  What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text?
QUESTION 2:  What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story?
QUESTION 3:  What stories or memories does this text stir in me? 
QUESTION 4:  What is God up to in this text? 
 
Additional Questions:

• What do you think it would be like to be the dove in the Noah’s Ark story?
• How has God used you lately?

Reflection:

On Fridays in January, we look at the scripture that our campers will be studying during Day 1 this summer of “Awesome God.  Awesome Love.”  This is a poem I wrote many years ago to use during a campfire program.  It tells the story of the dove in Noah’s Ark.  As our kids learn more about this story this summer, I’m sure I’ll share this story of Darla.  –Chad Hershberger
 
Many years ago, Darla Dove was flying across the land,
When suddenly an old man took her by the hand.
He had a beard, it was white, his hair was long and curly,
He came to see Darla in the morning very early. 
"I'm going on a trip," he said, "will you come along?
God needs me to depart from here because humans have become wrong."  

So Darla went with the man to a very large brown boat
She watched the animals go aboard, the once who could not float. 
When all her friends were settled she went and sat next to a crane,
And suddenly the heavens opened up-- yes, it began to rain. 
It rained for over a month, my friends, it rained both day and night,
The animals were getting very restless, some began to fight. 

The boat floated across the earth, there was water everywhere,
Inside, the man's family had to learn how to share. 
Darla Dove was getting bored, she had sung all the songs she knew,
When suddenly the sky cleared up and again it was bright blue.
The old man came to Darla and said, "I need you to fly away...
And come back with a twig branch on another day."

Darla, she was honored, so she left the boat with speed,
But she returned because she could not find a place on which to feed.
The old man said, "Don't worry," and sent her out again
And behold she flew a little while and indeed found land. 
An olive leaf she took to the boat as the old man's gift,
The present from the dove that day gave the man quite a lift. 

The old man released her out again but this time Darla found,
A place where she could live and make a home upon the ground.
She built a nest and furnished it and sat down to take a rest,
And when she looked up in the sky, she knew that she was blessed.
For in the sky was a rainbow-- a promise from the Lord above,
To everyone upon the earth-- even Darla Dove. 

Darla laid down in her nest; a smile was on her face,
Because now she truly had witnessed some of God's great grace.