The Olive Leaf

And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. Genesis 8:11

Noah was waiting patiently for the flood waters to subside and for the earth to reveal itself once again. Mountain peaks would be the first to be seen and after that, the search would be for fresh green foliage. What relief and joy Noah and his family must have felt when the dove returned with the olive leaf, for it wasn’t just a leaf that had been found floating on the water – it was a freshly plucked leaf. Hope for the future was delivered in the mouth of a dove.

We, too, can have seasons in which we are waiting for the flood waters to recede. As we go through times of uncertainty, troubled by a situation and praying or even pleading with God for an answer – we go in search of hope – wishing that it would reveal itself. Our souls search for hope because with it comes comfort, reassurance and peace. The apostle Peter reminds us:

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

We all need hope in our lives. We need the reassurance that, whatever the situation is we are facing, it is not always going to be this way. Circumstances change continually, but hope remains steadfast, when it is found in Christ.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

If you are waiting patiently for the flood waters to subside, trust the Lord, and believe that He will restore and strengthen you. Never stop sending out the dove of prayer, and watch expectantly for the olive leaf of hope to arrive.

Hymn: In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend & Keith Getty (2001)

Picture Credit: Photo by Francesco Ungaro on www.pexels.com/photo/olive-tree-with-green-leaves-11254917