What If?
”By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.“
Hebrews 11:7 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/heb.11.7.HCSB
”“Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.“
Genesis 6:14 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.6.14.HCSB
”And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him.“
Genesis 7:5 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.7.5.HCSB
What if Noah didn’t listen to God? What if he didn’t build the ark? What if Noah didn’t bring his family on the ark? What if Noah didn’t load the animals on the ark? What if Noah didn’t follow Gods instructions?
If Noah and his family didn’t board the ark, we wouldn’t be here. If Noah asked why and didn’t obey when he was told, we wouldn’t be here. If Noah didn’t follow Gods specifications, the ark would’ve crashed in the flood. We wouldn’t be here.
If Noah didn’t bring the animals aboard the ark, or didn’t follow Gods instructions on what types to bring, would we be here? What would our world look like without animals?
It comes down to faith, trust, obedience, perseverance, and patience- in the one and Only God! The one who created it all!
How many times as a child, or even as an adult, do we complain about our hard, unglamorous, boring work? How many times do we ask, why do I have to do this? What is this good for? How is this going to help me in my future?
Can we imagine being told to build an ark to such specifications? Can we imagine building an ark in the middle of dry land, and not even understand what a flood was, or even what rain was? Can we imagine why we should bring all the animals on board the ark?
How many times has this scenario happened in our life? Maybe we don’t even realize when it happened, but maybe we do.
When God speaks, we may not understand, but hesitate and the consequences ripple throughout our wildest imagination.
When life is blessed, sweet, happy, we tend to take it for granted.
When life is hard, hopeless, and sad, we tend to complain and feel sorry for ourselves.
When life is stale, boring and unproductive, we tend to be unappreciative and complain.
But God looks at us and life so much differently! He loves us so much He sacrificed His son! For us! For us ungrateful, condescending, selfish, greedy, arrogant snobs! Harsh? Maybe, but let’s be real. Are any of us much better than that?
Ok, so I’m suppose to encourage and lift up all who read these blogs. What in the world? That’s just the thing, God loves us just the way we are! He gives us grace! We are special to Him! He gave His son to us! He made us in Christ and we are awesome! Now that’s encouraging and something to sing and be excited about! God loves you and me!! Just the way we are! He will use us and clean us up as needed. We only need to confess we are nothing without Him and accept His sacrifice, His love, His grace, His salvation.
There’s a happy ending to this story!!