Reading in Genesis chapter six this morning I noticed
something interesting about the ark that God instructed Noah to build. There
were two things missing. First of all the ark had no source of power. Obviously
the engine had not yet been invented, but there were no sails nor was there any
provision for oars or other type of propulsion. Secondly, there was no rudder.
Basically the ark was powerless to move or be steered except by the force of
the waters it would be subjected to.
As the Bible literalist I am, I believe in the truth of the
scriptures and that these stories we read are true and that they occurred as
the historical narrative states. But I also believe that God has weaved within
the framework of Biblical history the truth and the secrets of how we are to
live out this life He has given us. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “these things
happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom
the ends of the ages have come.” Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the word of God is
living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as
far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to
judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.” And then 2 Timothy 3:16 declares
that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for
rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God
may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible is clearly the truth
we need to live our lives.
So what then is the Bible saying to us as we look at the ark
and see no power source and no rudder? I think the spiritual lesson for us is
clear and the entire counsel of scripture supports this truth. The lesson here
is a lesson of faith. Obviously it took a great man of faith to build an ark
when it had never even rained before while everyone else laughed and mocked
him. Noah was a great man of faith. He is listed In Hebrews chapter eleven as
one of the men in what is often called the Hebrews Hall of Faith. Not only did Noah
build the ark as God commanded him to; he got into a boat that clearly would
sail without any of his own personal guidance or control. He had no idea where
they were going and no idea how they would get there. That is faith.
As Christians sometimes God will call us to do just as Noah
was called to do. In our own power and our own strength we will fail when we
are seeking to do God’s will. If we always know exactly where we are going then
we will be tempted to trust in ourselves and in the vehicles by which we travel.
But God wants us to trust Him.
This does not mean we just run off on every whim that pops
up in our minds. This does not mean it’s not good to have a plan. Proverbs 21:5
reminds us “The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who
is reckless certainly becomes poor.” Noah had plans for the ark. But they were
plans given to Him by God. Our plans
must be plans given to us by God. Proverbs 15:22 is the key to receiving the
plan we need saying “Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be
established.” Preparation in our lives must be established through prayer, the
searching of God’s Word, and be laced with humility as we seek God’s counsel
which comes both by the Holy Spirit and by seeking the advice of Godly men.
Proverbs 15:22 tells us “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with
many counselors they succeed.”
But even though God gave Noah specific plans those plans
included building a boat with no power source and no rudder. God would provide
the power and God would guide the ark to where it needed to go. Noah followed
God’s commands. Genesis 6:22 “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had
commanded him, so he did.”
Next God gave Noah more instructions as to what to take on
the ark. Genesis 7:5 says it again, “Noah did according to all that the Lord
had commanded him.” Then Noah waited. It was seven more days before the rain
came. Imagine sitting there for seven days while the world laughed and mocked. But finally came the rain and forty days of
rain passed. More waiting. The Bible says that the water prevailed on the earth
for 150 days. That’s a lot of waiting, a lot of sailing on a boat you
personally have no control of. That takes faith.
Have you ever felt as if God has abandoned you? Left you
floating in a sea rocked by the waves of a storm? Many of us know that feeling.
Maybe you are there right now. But take note of something here from Genesis
8:1, “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were
with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the
water subsided.” Two observations you can believe. One, God has not forgotten
you and two, He is in control. God controls the storms and the wind and the
rain. He decides when they start and when they stop. If you, like Noah, will by
faith obey His commandments, you have nothing to fear.
There is a sure and a great hope in the story of Noah and
the flood. It is story that we can lay ahold of and make our own. But we must
trust in Him. We must obey Him by faith even when the boat we are about to step
into has no motor to power it and no rudder to steer it.
William Ernest Henley wrote a cool poem titled Invictus. The
final verse says this;
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Cool poem, bad counsel. If we try and guide our own ships by
our own power we captain ourselves right into hell. Not only will our eternal
journey be fraught with destruction, so will this life on earth.
Christians we must be like Noah in the days of the flood. “Thus
Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.” We need to
plug our names into that scripture; even when it means at times we will not
know where God is taking us or how He will get us there. He knows. Trust in Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment