Walking by Faith
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 7-8; Psalm 8
Genesis 6:9 (NIV)
9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 8:15-17 (NIV)
15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you – the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground – so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.”
Hebrews 11:7 (NIV)
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Good morning!
Could you live on a boat for a year with your wife, your sons and daughter-in-laws, and every living animal on earth? Imagine the noise, the stench, and even worse, the cranky disposition of eight tired and seasick souls. The faithfulness of Noah and his family is astounding. Noah was the great grandson of Enoch. Enoch’s faithful witness was passed on through his lineage and now, we see Noah walking with God. How much faith would it take to build an ark at six hundred years of age and be confined within its walls for a year? Noah did not know what God had planned. He trusted the Lord to take care of his family, even when he could no longer see dry land. His sure footing was not the soil beneath his feet. Noah set his feet upon the firm foundation of God and did not waiver from it.
My husband would like to take a Caribbean cruise someday. We’ve talked about it on several occasions. We’ve heard wonderful cruise stories from his parents, and our assistant pastor and their family. Their cruise trips are some of the best stories I’ve ever heard! Yet, I cannot even begin to imagine being totally surrounded by water, even for a few days. I like dry ground! I like being able to keep my feet planted on solid ground at all times. I spent too many hours holed up in a fishing boat with my parents and sister on the water as a child, feeling queasy and getting sunburned. Honestly, I don’t know if I could muster the kind of faith it took for Noah and his family to trust God and live in a boat with wild animals for an entire year. No dry land in sight, nothing but rain and clouds and water everywhere. Just thinking about it makes me shake.
One of my favorite family vacations is a trip that we have made several times to Bailey, Colorado. Bailey is located forty-five miles southwest of Denver, at an altitude of 7,750 feet. Situated on the Platte River, the tiny town of Bailey is a picturesque place to visit. When we visit Bailey, we stay at a rustic log cabin resort called Glen Isle. My in-laws have traveled there for years, and on several occasions, we packed up the station wagon with our small children and pets and joined them in the mountains for a family getaway. Three years ago, we took our entire family, including our parents, our children and their families, to Bailey for a week. It was a wonderful trip. We were surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, with a cold, babbling river running near our cabin. There were trails to explore, wildflowers to pick, and blue skies to enjoy. We went in September, and ironically, on the day we arrived, it snowed. I have never seen anything more beautiful in all my life.
Even in the midst of this glorious mountaintop moment, all four generations seemed to find ways to tap on my last nerve. The truth is, no matter where I am, when I’m cloistered in a room with my family, I need to remember that not everyone is going to agree with me on every single topic of discussion. I don’t know why not! In fact, my family may not agree with me on much of anything. In situations like this, it is good to learn to agree to disagree. It is even better if I keep my mouth shut – a lesson which I am still struggling with.
Noah knew the source of all righteousness, and because he walked with God, Noah lived within His shelter. Noah set the bar at faith walking, by trusting God to be God and obeying everything just as He commanded. Noah didn’t have all the answers. He had the only answer that mattered, and that was more than enough for him and for his family.
Do you have the faith of Noah? If God asked you to build an ark, gather up your kin and stay cloistered with them for a whole year surrounded by nothing but water, could you do it?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: faith to do the things God calls you to, even when you do not understand why or how. Look to the Lord and ask Him to cover you in His righteousness, as you seek to serve Him with your life.
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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