Noah

 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.      Genesis 7.16

 

Time stands still as one dark day blurs into the next. Noah cannot remember the sun's warmth, solid ground, and pure air untainted by animals.

Months ago, he had found favour with God due to his right character and conduct. In His grace, God saved Noah and his family from the judgment He brought on the earth, a flood that wiped away an increasingly wicked human race. Now, Noah wonders if God has forgotten him. Will the deep floodwaters ever recede? Will he live out the remainder of his days imprisoned by the vessel that initially rescued him?

 

We can do all the ‘right’ things in our relationship with God yet be enveloped in darkness. Noah was an obedient man who walked faithfully with God.

Unceasing rain pounded the roof of the tent of the group of campers I had been put in charge of. Feeling trapped, with panic swelling, was God with Me in seemingly the wettest part of Cornwall. A thunderous clap boomed overhead, yet I recalled how God remembered Noah, (Genesis 8.1) guided the ark to dry land, and renewed His covenant relationship with him. In the middle of the storm, God gently reminded me of His faithfulness.

Like Noah, I worshipped.

God is with us when we cannot see an end to the darkness. Noah and his family endured over a year of waiting inside the ark before fully glimpsing God’s work on the outside. In this world full of trouble,(John 16.33) we can expect seasons when we do not understand how God is working. Illness, conflict, and financial hardship can make us assume God has abandoned us.

When we are tempted to misplace our trust, we recall how God used a long period of darkness to protect and preserve Noah’s family. Faithfully, He will bring us through our challenging circumstances.

 

Father, help me to trust You in the noise. Help me see You when I’m alone. Help me have for You a soft heart to worship. In Jesus' name, Amen.