Faithful God and Provider

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
       let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
       that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
       you surround them with your favor as with a shield. – Psalm 5:11-12

Does the story of Noah encourage you?Whatever Noah needed, God provided.  Whatever God commanded, Noah obeyed.
Noah was given a daunting task…to build one of the largest sea-worthy vessels with limited tools and assistance.  God provided the design, the materials, the time and strength to complete it.

I wonder:     

How did he cut the large quantity of wood needed?

Did he chisel tongue and groove to hold the boards together?

Where did he find the volume of pitch to cover inside and out?

Did his wife, his sons and their wives assist or encourage him?

His sons may have been mere babies when he began to build.  

He gathered provisions for his family and the menagerie aboard the ark, BUT how did he know the length of days they would be in the ark?

Thoughts of Noah continue to perplex my mind, yet bolster my spirit. The bittersweet story of Noah and the flood contains many lessons for the generations that follow him.
God has a task for each of His children.
He will provide all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
He will not ask more of us than we are able.
He is a God of absolute faithfulness, to man and to His every Word-eight survived, all others perished.

Imagine how closely Noah walked with the LORD God.
Is the joy of the LORD where Noah found his strength (Neh. 8:10, Psalm 5:11-12)?
I can almost hear Noah singing joyful praises to his LORD as he built and prepared day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.
Yet his heart heavy with sorrow for souls that rejected God over and over.  They ignored his preaching about the coming wrath.  Then came the day.  It was too late. The ark was closed up and the rain began to fall. 

Noah was obedient.Twice Genesis records that Noah did all that the LORD commanded.
    Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Gen. 6:22)

Noah was a man of faith.  He believed, so he obeyed completely. (Gen. 7:5)

And again, after the flood stopped and the water dried up, he did not leave the ark until the LORD God commanded-Gen. 8:15.  He, his family and the animals had been aboard the ark for 1 year and 10 days!  Noah didn’t trust his own judgment but he wholly trusted God. 

Noah was faithful.

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. (Heb. 11:7)

Noah was compassionate.  He preached righteousness to deaf ears beyond the seven that would embark with him.  If (God) did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;(2 Peter 2:5)

Let us learn the lessons God provides in the story of Noah, may they strengthen our resolve to teach the lost, and build our faith to obey Him completely. 

Wise, Patient and Loving Father ,
How majestic You are. Your love floods over us.  May it also flow through us to a world who knows You not.  Increase our faith and compassion, that we may obey you wholeheartedly and   teach the gospel.  As You patiently wait not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  One sorrowful day it will be too late just as in the days of Noah.   Thank you for the way of salvation You gave to us.
In the precious name of Jesus, Amen 

Mischelle Oliver

Stephenville, Texas