As long as I can remember, I have read and loved Bible stories. My favorites were Daniel in the lion’s den, David and Goliath, and, of course, Noah’s Ark. I can’t tell you how many times I have read and heard the story. I often wondered how a man could direct all those animals to obey and come on board a really huge boat. When I recently read the encounter again from the Book of Genesis, I wondered to myself, “how did I miss it?”
The story details a really huge world flood that was coming. God gave Noah exact blueprints for the design of a huge boat to house his family and all the animals. It was detailed about the exact length, width, and height. He specified the type of wood and pitch to seal it. But I only recently realized there was no steering wheel, no sail, no rudder, no engine. Why was this left out? Talk about scary.
Here was Noah given instructions to build a massive vessel to survive a global storm, but he had zero control over it or where it went. Noah couldn’t steer it away from rocks. He couldn’t turn it into the waves. He couldn’t aim for dry land. He was completely at the mercy of the water. This Ark wasn’t designed for navigation; just for floating.
Now I saw Noah’s job was to be an obedient Passenger, not the Captain. So who was the Captain? … God was the Captain. That’s when I saw the picture of my life right now. I try to put a steering wheel on a situation that God wants me to simply float through.
Well, I did miss it, but now I see:
- There is one door through which we can be saved.
- Just as God remembered Noah, God remembers me..
- Noah’s story reminds me that it is by faith I am saved.
- God desires for no one to perish.
- The ark offered rescue from the flood – Jesus offers me rescue from the flood of all my sin.
- God made a covenant with human beings; He continues to be faithful to His promises.
- Jesus will come again, but I do not know the day or the hour.
- I am to trust and obey.
I’ve told you my story of how I missed this very obvious message. What are you missing today?
Tagged: Bible stories, Texas weather
