Hello! I’m Dorcas, and I’m a Dove. Would you like to hear about something very special I once did?
You would? That’s good, then I’ll tell you.
It happened a long time ago when I was young. I was living on a ship - yes, I know Doves don’t usually live on ships or boats, but this one was different. God asked someone to build it for a very special reason.
He was going to punish the people because they were so very wicked, but He wanted to save one family who loved Him, and that was Noah’s family. So he told Noah to build a great ship which was called an Ark, and it was very exciting to live on this Ark.
There were animals of every kind, and birds and reptiles - oh! it was a wonderful place! I loved it, and so did everyone else.
When we were all aboard, God closed the door, and then something strange happened. It rained, and rained and rained, and it went on raining until the whole world was flooded.
One of the Owls counted the days and nights - he was very wise - and he told us it rained for forty days and forty nights. A long time! We were safe, of course, as we floated on the water, and it was fun.
Most of us hadn’t sailed before, and we enjoyed it very much. Then the rain stopped, and one day we came to rest......you will never guess where. On the top of a mountain!
It was the Owl again who told us. He came along to where we were chatting and said ‘I have something very important to tell you’ and he looked around to make sure everyone was listening.
‘The Ark’ he said, ‘Is now sitting on top of a mountain!’
Of course some of the animals didn’t believe him, and they started to laugh - ‘Whoever heard of a ship on top of a mountain’ they chuckled. But the Owl just stared at them with his big eyes, and they didn’t dare say any more!
We waited on the mountain for a long time as the water slowly began to go down. Then one day Noah came to me - yes, to me - and he said ‘Go and see if the earth is dry yet, Dorcas, please’ and he opened a window and I flew out.
The Raven had been out before me but the water was too high for us to venture out. So this second time Noah came to me. I was so proud to be able to help him, I couldn’t help cooing as I flew around. But the earth still wasn’t dry yet, so I flew back to the Ark and told Noah.
All the animals were getting very excited now. They had enjoyed sailing, but they wanted to get out into the fields again.
‘How long do you think it will be now, Dorcas?’ a little fieldmouse asked me.
‘Not many more days’ I told her. ‘Be patient a little while longer.’
I could see that Noah was also hoping it would be soon.
The lions and the big animals were beginning to get restless and pace up and down. They were longing to stretch their legs and run and play.
One week later Noah again came to me.
‘Dorcas, go out, fly around, and bring me back some good news, please’ he begged. ‘We are all longing to leave the Ark now.’
So off I flew again, and, as I looked I could see trees above the water.
It wont be long now before all the earth is dry, I thought.
I felt so happy, that I took an olive leaf in my beak and gave it to Noah when I returned to the Ark. He was delighted. I went round telling all the other animals the good news, and they laughed and joked with each other - it was a very happy ship.
Another week passed very quickly as we all talked of what we would do when we left the Ark.
Again Noah asked me to go out. This time the whole earth was dry so I didn’t go back, there was no need. Instead I looked for a pretty tree in which I could start to build my nest, and I waited for the others to join me.
And then I saw something so beautiful I just stared and stared. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. There in the sky, stretching across in a bow as far as I could see, were the most wonderful colours - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
It took my breath away. I had never seen anything so beautiful in all my life.
The others were beginning to come out of the Ark, now, and at first they were laughing and chatting. Then they, too, saw the sky bathed in these glorious colours, and a silence fell on them as they gazed in wonder at the magnificent sight. In fact it seemed as if the whole world held its breath in awe.
After a while I flew quietly to where I could see the Owl sitting on a branch.
‘Owl’ I whispered. ‘What is it? Why is it there?’
‘It is God’s Promise’ he told me solemnly.
‘A Promise never to flood the whole earth again, and it is called A RAINBOW.’
‘That’s a lovely name’ I said as I looked at the sun making the colours sparkle. ‘I like it.’
‘Thank-you, Owl’ I called as I flew back to my tree.
So that is my story. It’s a lovely one, isn’t it? I was so pleased to be chosen to do this work for our Heavenly Father, and perhaps one day You will be chosen to do something Very Special too.
Elizabeth Aynsley ©

Genesis Ch. 6. v.11 - Ch. 8 v.22.