A Treacherous Journey

3/26/2021

Psalm 121:8 "The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore."

Tonight my family and I watched a documentary about the search for Noah's Ark. It followed a group of researchers and scientists to the summit of Mt. Ararat. It is very difficult to get permission from the Turkish government to even attempt such a climb. If you are granted clearance, then the really hard part begins. The team needs to hike the mountain on foot, carrying gear and following Kurdish guides. Then they need to make camp at different elevations to acclimate to the thinner air as they ascend. The climb itself is treacherous enough without the wind, cold, snow, hail, and soupy mist. As I was watching, I was grateful that I was sitting on a comfy couch in my warm house. 

The one thing that stood out to me about the men who were part of this expedition was their steadfast belief that the Ark is indeed under the deep ice of Ararat. Their motivations may have been different, as some went because of a scientific pursuit, some went for spiritual reasons, and some went for both. They worked together, encouraged each other when things got rough, and rejoiced together when they reached the summit. Very few people in history have even attempted such an endeavor, so they realized that this time in their lives was unique and special. 

They dug and drilled though thirty-plus feet of ice to try recovering some evidence of the Ark for several days with complete hope and faith. Alas, like many before them, they did not find anything conclusive to prove the existence of that huge vessel from the Bible which saved Noah and his family, as well as every creature that roamed the earth. Were they disappointed? Absolutely. The commonality at the end of their journey was that the search will never be over, and if it is God's will, the Ark will be found one day.

What struck me about the entire movie was not that the trek (which in many people's minds would seem pointless) may have been arduous and disappointing, but it was largely a journey of faith. A few of the men shared, with tears in their eyes, that on the mountain they had an experience with God. They also had formed lasting bonds with one another. I feel it is reflective of the journey that we are all on as believers. We hold a deep faith in a God that we know is there, even if we cannot see Him. We hold tightly to that belief, even when others do not understand. We also form deep bonds with other believers over shared experiences. Yes, our walk with Jesus is a winding journey, filled with unknown twists and turns, but we can be sure footed because we know He is leading us every step of the way.