2010 is underway as is my commitment to read the Bible, cover to cover, this year. It will be my first TIME, and I'm super excited. In addition, our first Bible Drill meeting is today. I know it is for 4th - 6th grade, but I think I'm more excited than anyone!
Anyway, since it is the beginning of the year, I am reading Genesis. I came across something I have never really thought about, or maybe it spoke to me in particular because of where I am in life right now. Most of us are familiar with the story of Noah and the Ark. That Bible story is one of those which made its mark on Christians and non-Christians alike. We all now the basics: God found favor with Noah; didn't find favor with the rest of the world; decided to destroy all living things in a flood; told Noah to build an ark, load up his family and all the animals (2 of every kind and 7 of some others).
Sidenote: The first awesome thing I learned about this story, once I actually read it for myself, was this fact: Noah spent a long, long time building that huge boat, and it had NEVER rained on the earth. Um...do you realize what kind of obedience and blind faith that took?
Anyway, here was this morning's discovery...Noah wasn't on the boat for 40 days. You know the story. It rained for forty days and forty nights, BUT NOAH STAYED ON THAT BOAT FOR ALMOST A YEAR!!! Think about it. The water was high enough to cover all the land - even mountain tops. That kind of water is not going to disappear over night. Noah didn't leave the boat when the rain stopped. He didn't leave when the bird brought back the olive branch showing proof the water was receding. He didn't leave when the bird left and did not return. NOAH AND HIS FAMILY LEFT THAT BOAT WHEN GOD SAID IT WAS TIME! Specifically, according to scripture, it was two months after the land was completely dry!
Now me...I would have bailed ship the second the rain stopped (cute rainboots or not). If I don't see sun for a few days, I get a little punchy. My eye starts to twitch a little. You know what I mean? Well, I would have been dead on the 41st day because I would have drowned. Now let's just say God saved me when I jumped and put me back on the boat. Well, when that bird brought the olive branch, I would have gone over board again and again when the bird didn't come back. It never would have crossed my mind that just because the rain stopped the ground would have been like a big ball of quicksand. Not even the Wonder Twins (do ya'll remember the Wonder Twins...Activate) could have pulled me out of that kind of mud!
God brought Noah and his family off the ark when it was safe. He tries to do that for you and me everyday...keep us in the safety of His presence. Yet, we're in a hurry. We know better. Really though, we don't. If we would just let the Man lead wouldn't things be so much smoother...not perfect, but oh so much smoother.
Let's let God do this year in His time. he is going to anyway. Let's praise Him. Worship Him. Read His word so we know for ourselves what we're being obedient to, and let Him have His time with us!
Well said, Heather. So many times we, as humans, try to do things in our own time...we rush the only One who knows what we need, when we need it. My prayer this year is that I walk (and rest) in Him...totally dependent...knowing that HIS timing is everything. Thanks again, Heather, for allowing Him to use you.
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