After the floodwaters covered the earth, Noah sent out two birds to search for dry land—a raven and a dove (Genesis 8:6-12). The raven, a scavenger, did not return to the ark. It found sustenance among the floating remains of a world lost to judgment. Death was its dwelling place, and it was content to linger where decay and destruction persisted.
The dove, however, sought something different. It could not rest among the ruins of the old world, for it was drawn to life, purity, and renewal. When it found no place to set its feet, it returned to the ark, to the refuge of God’s provision. Days later, it returned again—this time with an olive leaf, a symbol of peace and new beginnings. And when the earth was fully restored, the dove did not come back. It had found its home where peace and life had returned.
This contrast reflects a deeper truth. The raven and the dove symbolize two kinds of hearts: one that clings to the past, feeding on what is broken, and another that seeks new life, drawn toward restoration. Some find comfort in destruction, unwilling to leave behind what has perished. They circle the remnants of their old ways, unable to move forward. But others, like the dove, search for a place where peace abides. They long for renewal, for a fresh start in God’s grace, and they will not settle until they find it.
Even today, the choice remains: will we linger where death and sin reside, or will we seek the life and peace that God provides? The raven may roam in the shadows, but the dove finds its rest in the promise of a new beginning.
The dove finds rest where peace abides,
But the raven soars where death resides.
One seeks the light, the air so free,
The other feasts on misery.
Noah sent them from the ark,
One to the light, one to the dark.
The raven circled, cold and sly,
Content where broken remnants lie.
But the dove, with wings so pure,
Could not rest where death endured.
It sought a world made new and bright,
A land restored by mercy’s light.
Once it returned, no place to stay,
But hope arose another day.
An olive branch it brought in flight,
A token of the earth made right.
And when at last the ground was dry,
The dove took wing into the sky.
It did not turn to what had passed,
But found its home in peace at last.
So hearts may wander, hearts may roam,
But only some will find their home.
The soul that longs for God’s embrace,
Will fly to life, to love, to grace.
Leave a comment