也许你曾经看到过一张图片或一个标志，上面画着一只口衔着橄榄枝的鸽子。这个图画原型来自我们今天的经文。随着时间的推移，鸽子叼着橄榄枝的画面已经成了和平的象征。
我们若仔细观察今天的经文，就会发现挪亚并不是被动地等待平安的好消息。他先放出一只乌鸦，一种强壮的鸟，它“飞来飞去”，但显然没有回到方舟——可能是因为它找到了大量的腐肉可以吃。然后挪亚放出一只温柔的鸽子——一种相对脆弱的鸟——去寻找新的生长迹象。然后他专心致志地等着结果。
鸽子很快就回来了，因为它“找不着落脚之地”。挪亚就把它又放回方舟里等候七天。然后，他又把鸽子放出去，晚上鸽子叼着一片橄榄叶子回来了。这意味着洪水已经退到安全的水位，人类和动物可以再次繁衍生息，在属神的世界里享受平安。
当我们默想这一段的时候，让我们思考一下，我们可以用什么方式给属神的世界带来和平？我们只是口头说我们想要和平，还是我们要主动地朝着和平努力，哪怕是以微小的、甚至是脆弱的方式来进行？我们是否同时也在分享耶稣的好消息？祂给人们疲倦的心带来了平静和安息。
主啊，请帮助我们为耶稣的缘故，给这个世界带来和平。阿们。
创世记 8:6-22
6过了四十天，挪亚开了方舟的窗户，
7放出一只乌鸦去。那乌鸦飞来飞去，直到地上的水都干了。
8他又放出一只鸽子去，要看看水从地上退了没有。
9但遍地上都是水，鸽子找不着落脚之地，就回到方舟挪亚那里，挪亚伸手把鸽子接进方舟来。
10他又等了七天，再把鸽子从方舟放出去。
11到了晚上，鸽子回到他那里，嘴里叼着一个新拧下来的橄榄叶子，挪亚就知道地上的水退了。
12他又等了七天，放出鸽子去，鸽子就不再回来了。
13到挪亚六百零一岁，正月初一日，地上的水都干了。挪亚撤去方舟的盖观看，便见地面上干了。
14到了二月二十七日，地就都干了。
15神对挪亚说：
16“你和你的妻子、儿子、儿妇都可以出方舟。
17在你那里凡有血肉的活物，就是飞鸟、牲畜和一切爬在地上的昆虫，都要带出来，叫它在地上多多滋生，大大兴旺。”
18于是挪亚和他的妻子、儿子、儿妇都出来了。
19一切走兽、昆虫、飞鸟和地上所有的动物，各从其类，也都出了方舟。
20挪亚为耶和华筑了一座坛，拿各类洁净的牲畜、飞鸟献在坛上为燔祭。
21耶和华闻那馨香之气，就心里说：“我不再因人的缘故咒诅地（人从小时心里怀着恶念），也不再按着我才行的灭各种的活物了。
22地还存留的时候，稼穑、寒暑、冬夏、昼夜就永不停息了。”
"When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth." - Genesis 8:11
Maybe you have seen a picture or a logo showing a dove with an olive branch in its beak. That image draws from our reading for today. Over time, the image of a dove bringing a part of an olive tree has become a symbol for peace.
When we look a little closer at today's passage, it becomes clear that Noah wasn't just passively waiting for good, peaceful news. He first sent out a raven, a robust bird that flew "back and forth" but apparently did not come back into the ark—probably because it found plenty of carrion to eat. Noah then sent out a gentle dove—a more vulnerable bird—to go looking for signs of new growth. And then he waited attentively.
The dove soon returned because it "could find nowhere to perch." So Noah brought it back into the ark for seven days. Then, when he sent the dove out again, it returned in the evening with an olive leaf. This meant the flood waters had receded to a safe level where the people and animals could flourish and thrive again, enjoying shalom (peace) in God's world.
As we reflect on this, let's consider ways in which we might participate in bringing peace in God's world. Do we just say we want peace, or are we intentionally working toward it, even in small, possibly vulnerable ways? Are we also sharing the good news of Jesus, who brings peace and rest for people's weary hearts?
Lord, help us to be bringers of peace in this world, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
