Tuesday, February 2, 2010

He Waited >> Noah's Story

I was reading my Bible last night, and was continuing along in Genesis (I've decided to start from the beginning) and this part caught me:

But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. Genesis 8:1

I puzzled over it a bit, trying to untangle the meaning. God doesn't forget things...right? I mean, He's God. But after a little bit, it hit me and I was surprised at the grandeur hidden in that verse.

God didn't forget Noah--but in that passage, it was His way of saying, "I'm still here for you--don't worry, I remember."

Put it this way. They've been in the ark for an incredibly long amount of time now. They're probably all dying to get off. And outside, it's still flooded. So now they're going, "God, where are you? We're still here--remember Noah, and his wife? And Noah's sons and their wives? Yeah, we're right here...you didn't forget us God, did you?"

But God remembered.


He didn't forget them. He was still there--and He wasn't going to let them die.

So after that, I felt elated because it's such a big truth. God isn't going to forget you.He's not going to forget the works that you're doing for Him--works that you're doing out of love for Him, because He saved you. He sees you down here--He remembers.

Which brings me to something else--the reason for the title.

At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore. In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry." In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. Then God said to Noah, "Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.Genesis 8:6-18
Picture this. They've been in the ark for what seems like forever. And then finally, Noah sends out a raven--and that's not fruitful. So he waits and then sends out a dove, who comes back. Then he waits some more and sends out another dove who returns with an olive branch in her beak. So he waits even more and sends out the dove again. This time, she doesn't return.

So now Noah knows that it's pretty much dry out there, so he throws open the covering and beholds dry ground. His family must be dying to get out, and they're begging him to leave that ark.

But he doesn't. He waits.


Instead of trusting his own judgment and looking to satisfy his own needs, Noah waits until God says, "Okay, you can leave the ark now. Take your family and the animals, and go." Noah puts aside what he wants, and instead, he waits for God to say, "It's time--you can go."

That shows incredible trust and faith on Noah's part. Because really, he was probably dying to get off that ark. It was probably smelly, and somewhat cramped (think of all the animals that would have to go on it) and he was tired. The ground looked dry, and everyone was probably itching to get off the ark, but Noah waited to leave it. He waited to take his family and the animals off, until God said, "Go out from the ark."

Noah waited for God >> and God remembered him.


I was blown away when I read it. The faith on Noah's part. And then God--God who doesn't forget, but remembers.

If we were to live our lives like Noah did--think how fruitful they would be. Waiting for God's timing instead of going by our own. Instead of pursuing what we want, pursuing what He wants. And knowing that God remembers.

Living in that peace that comes from that kind of faith.

12 comments :

  1. EXACTLY!!! He never forgets, it might take a long time (in our human eyes) but He is there - He remembers!
    thanks friend -that was encouraging!
    hugs!

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  2. That is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today! Your posts always come at the most appropriate times. :) Just waiting for the "Ok" from God is sometimes the hardest thing in the world, but when we do wait, look at the example of faith and trust we will exude, and the blessings we will reap!

    Thanks so much for the encouraging post and comment on my blog today. :) You're a wonderful friend.

    Love you!
    --Abigail

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  3. I never really thought about Noah's waiting before, but it's so true. How might my life be different if I waited on God's timing? Thanks for making me think about that. ;)

    ~Melody

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  4. Wow, thank you for sharing what God put on your heart, Hannah! It is true, we all need to learn to wait on the Lord. He will provide, He will remember us! Thank you dear girl!

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  5. So true. God has Perfect Timing. It's so hard to grasp that when we have a clear picture of what we want and when we want it. We just have to remember that God has soooo much better things in store for us.

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  6. Oh Hannah, thank You for that. I would love to see more posts like this! :D
    THank You more than i can say, by the way, for the comment you lefft on my blog. Its so amazing to have found a fellow lily maiden!

    ~Rachel

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  7. Noah was an extrodinary man. God chose him for a reason. I think we can all learn a bit from that post in waiting for what God wants,

    good post.

    Alex

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  8. Thank you for sharing that! You are right, god doesn't forget, he remembers, and we need to be faithful and wait:]

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  9. That is such a good lesson for all of use. When we thank everyone has forgotten us and were alone were really not because God remembers and is always with us no matter what. Man, how great is our GOD!I am so glade I am never forgotten!:)

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  10. Lovely post, m'dear. I LOVE Noah--amazing man.

    And, I admire his patience, and his peace in God, and his trust. Yes. I would have gone crazy on the ark. ^^

    LOVE YOU!

    Bekah

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  11. That was amazing! I know, it is hard to wait but if we got all things handed to us we would have no reason to praise Him-right? Noah is an incredible man though (:

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