Water symbolizes baptism... Three small but powerful words.

This is a piece of artwork by Thomas duBois.  Tom and I have this set of 4, which we fell in love with years ago, and managed to get for each others as gifts over the first years of our marriage.  I look at this piece daily, and tonight, it takes on special meaning...

I'm sitting here tonight and pondering how I missed so many things for so long in my lifetime.  I had intended to write about how many things I LOVED reading in Hebrews yesterday...

And then, doing today's reading (Hebres 11 - 1 Peter 2) I read into 1 Peter 3.  And at the end of Chapter 3, I read this...

1 Peter 3:20-21
20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[a] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,



SO... I'm sure that many of you got this before, and I'm just a bit slow in catching on... but seriously, I NEVER realized that the significance of baptism stretched back to Noah.  Don't ask me why I never questioned why John the Baptist would do it...  I just assumed he was moved int he spirit to do so! 

God waited for Noah to build the ark for 120 years (I think...) and gave people time to change and believe.  

The flood separated Noah from the lost and gave him a new life.  Hmmm... the same is said of our spiritual baptism. 

And was it 9 complete months he was out there before landing on the mountain?  This is a stretch, but it seems like seeing the mountains and hitting ground is a bit like being "born again."   

8 in all saved, to me has revelance to how it will be in the end times.  Eight of Noah's out of how many people?  So to, will it likely be for Christians as a % of the population... 
WOW, WOW, WOW... (Ok - so if you're appalled I'm just getting this, I'm sorry!)  But seriously, why don't we talk about this piece at some point during our baptism ceremonies?????  (Then the slow ones like me would get it:-) 

This piece has me a bit undone tonight.  I'm digging into the commentaries and cross references in amazement!  I think this is on my list of "dig really deep..." items. 

"God thank you for new revelations.  Thanks for answering that prayer of opening my eyes so faithfully.   Continue to teach me things that are new to me...  I'm ok with being humbled!  And thank you for the promise of your holy spirit and it's cleansing in our baptism.  Thank you for transforming us and bringing us out of the old and into the new."