When last we met, I left you with this …
“Sometimes, God hits the wall. When He does, will He find in you and me a heart that is so identified with Him that He will know He has found a place where He can settle down and remain in rest?”
Let’s continue our exploring together…
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After God’s declaration to Himself, Genesis chapter 6 continues in verse 13 with God talking to Noah, giving him a blow by blow account of what was coming.
He told Noah –
- what He (God) was going to do
- why He (God) was going to do it
- what he (Noah) was now to do
- how he (Noah) was to do it
- how He (God) was going to bring about the end
- where Noah and his family would find safety
- how and why he (Noah) was to bring two of every bird, animal and living creature into the ark
- and finally, how much food he was to store for the family and the creatures
For us life coaches who like the “what, why, how, where, and when” model of helping people move forward, God pretty much covered it in one brief but powerful conversation with Noah. The only point He did not reveal was “when.”
God’s a smart One. He left His revealing one detail short of complete disclosure. However, He gave Noah signs to watch for and in the meantime, the work of preparation.
Even in Noah’s day God was determined to write the storyline of faith and believing into the lives of mankind. That storyline remains current in our walk with Christ today. Beloved, believing faith has the power to set us apart unto God with hearts that provide Him that resting place He longs for.
Can you hear Him imploring, “Would you just believe Me?”
Oh, how we have made an art out of wavering doubt and unbelief at times. That grieves His tender heart.
Had others besides Noah believed (and believe me, they had plenty of time to find faith while Noah constructed the ark) it would not have simply been Noah’s story. Still, God does all things with purpose…
Even then, you and I were in His heart. God had already identified Himself with us. And here we are.
It is our turn to so identify our heart with Him that He can trust us with those things that are on His heart. Not only that, but to also give us instruction on the part we are to play in helping Him bring to pass the plan of His intentions.
Genesis 6 ends with this simple but profound statement – “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” vs 22
Noah believed. And he responded from that belief. His love and respect for God in the midst of deep darkness produced for him an incredible place of shelter when God’s righteous judgment was handed down. That place of shelter, the ark, remained secure on the prevailing waters until they had accomplished all God had said would be. Then it came to rest. And when it was time, new life came forth.
God still talks today to those who provide Him a heart-place of rest.
When our heart identifies itself more with God than it does with the world around us, we move into a position that God finds hard to resist.
Gracefully Free
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